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33  WfST  MAIN  ST9CET 

WnSTIR.N.Y.  149*0 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Note  VNotes  techniques  et  bibiiographiques 


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the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


D 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couieur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pellicul^e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couieur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couieur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


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mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmies. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6td  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
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une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  una 
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sont  indiqu<is  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couieur 

Pages  damaged/ 
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I      I    Pages  damaged/ 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

I    "1   Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 


□Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachdes 


y/ 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  ini^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppldmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
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ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
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r~7l    Additional  comments:/ 


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Commentaires  suppl6mentaires; 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


s/ 


12X 


16X 


»X 


24X 


28X 


D 

32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 

The  imaoias  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  In  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  covei  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  Illustrated  Impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  Impression. 


The  last  receded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (msaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


L'exemplaire  fillm6  fut  reproduit  grflce  d  la 
gAnirositA  de: 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  f  ilm6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmte  en  commen9ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d'iliustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  fiim6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d'iilustration  et  en  terminant  par 
In  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUiVRE",  le 
svmboie  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  rst  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  fiimd  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
iliustrent  la  m6thode. 


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2 

3 

4 

5 

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7 


THE  PRISONERS'  MEMOIRS, 


■m^^ 


DARTMOOK  PKISON; 


CONTAINING  A  COMPLETE  AND  IMPARTIAL  HISTORT  OF 


€jiB  €n\\xt  Cflptiniiif  nf  ttjB  !3inBrirfliiB  in  d^nglanir, 

FROM    THE    COMMENCEMENT    OF    THE    LAST    WAR    BETWEEN    THE    tJNITED 
,      STATES  AND  QREAT   BRITAIN,   UNTIL  ALL  PRISONERS  WERE 
RELEASED    BY    THE   TREATY  OF  QHKNT. 

'  i  /  >  Al  SO,  a  partlculnr  detail  of  all  occurrences  relative  to  the 

HORRID   MASSACRE   AT   DARTMOOR, 

*  'M'  On  the  fatal  evening  of  the  fith  of  Jipril,  1 815. 


;*y       .;     ■  THE  WHOLE  CAREFULLY 

COMPILED   BY  A   PRISONER  IN   ENGLAND. 

Who  was  a  Captive  during  the  whole  War. 


Qua^Ut;  ipse  miserrima  vidi, 


■^'/fS 


Et  quorum  purs  magna  fui;  quis  taliafando, 
Temperet  a  lacrymig  ?  Virg.  I.,  ii.,  v.  5. 


"  These  sufferings  T  myself  have  seen,  and  to  the  greater  part  of  which  I  was  a  principal 
party.    Whq^an  relate  such  woes  without  a  tear  V'  ^- 


NEW  YORK: 
PRINTED   FOR    THE   AUTHOR. 

1852. 


N 


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\:k:'-  \JivM:* 


/J^^Syn^Sj.: 


PREFACE. 


r 


The  following  pages  are  presented  to  the  public  by  one  of  the  survivors  of 
this  worst  of  prisons,  believing  it  will  be  read  with  deep  intereist  by  every 
American,  and  by  every  relative  and  friend  of  those  who  happene<I  to  be  one 
of  the  unfortunate  inmates  of  the  Dartmoor  Prison. 

If  any  part  of  the  worli  should  be  found  languid  and  tedious,  it  must  be 
wholly  attributed  to  the  suffering  situation  of  the  author ;  the  vigor  and 
vivacity  of  whose  mind  was  greatly  affected  by  those  of  the  body.  If 
misery  is  less  interesting  collectively  in  groups  than  when  viewed  indiviciu- 
ally,  let  the  reader  single  out  one,  and  view  him,  separately,  through  the 
iron  grating,  and  see  him,  pale  and  feeble,  etching  upon  a  stick,  with  a 
rusty  nail,  AriOther  notch,  which  adds  to  his  calender  another  of  those  dismal 
days  and  nights  he  had  spent  in  confinement ;  he  may  view  him  till  he  sees 
the  iron  enter  his  soul  before  he  turns  from  him,  and  then  say — ^it  was  my 
son,  my  brother,  or  my  friend! — he  will  then  have  a  picture  interesting 
enough  to  bis  feelings. 


COPYRIOHT   SECURED. 


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States 
and  e: 
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in  the 
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best  of 
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'vivors  of 
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:,  with  a 
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;  was  my 
iteresting 


CERTIFICATE. 

^        '  • 

We,  |he  undersigned,  late  prisoners  of  war,  having  been  con. 
fined  the  greater  part  of  the  last  war  between  the  United 
States  of  America  and  Great  Britain,  and  having  carefully  perused 
and  examined  the  fullowing  Manuscript  Journal,  kept  bj  Charles 
Andrews,  our  fellow-prisoner  at  Dartmoor,  in  the  County  of  Devon, 
in  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain,  do  solemnly  declare,  that  all 
matter  and  occurences  herein  contained,  are  just  and  true,  to  the 
best  of  our  knowledge  and  belief;  and  that  this  is  the  only  Journal 
kept  at  Dartmoor. 

Capt.  Joshua  "Wait,         -       -       .       •       -  New- York. 

Capt.  Samuel  H.  Gin^o,    -        -        -        -  Newport,  R.  I. 

Capt.  Frederick  H.  Coffin,       ....  Hudson,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Joseph  C.  Morgan,        ....  Newport,%Jl.  I. 

Lieut.  Homer  Hull,  -       -       -       -       »  Conn. 

Mr.  Jacob  Evans, Baltimore,  Md. 

Capt.  Benjamin  F.  Chesebrough,     ...  Conn. 

Mr.  Luther  S.  Dunbar,        -        -        ,        -  Boston,  Mass. 

Capt.  Richard  Longly,    -        .       V  ?  St v*^  Portland,  D.  M. 

Mr.  Ephraim  Abbott, Boston,  Mass. 

Mr.  Fentoc  Conner,         -        -        -        .        -  Charleston,  S.  C: 

Mr.  Joseph  Conner, Newborn,  N.  C. 

Mr.  David  Morrison,        -        -        -        -     '  -  -= —  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Caleb  Coffin, Nantucket,  Mass. 

Mr.  John  Merrill, Portland,  Maine. 

Capt.  Charles  Bennet,  .        -        .•       -        -  Hudson,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  William  Griffin, Salem,  Mass. 

Mr.  J^ea  Bowie, do.       do. 

Mr.  Jolul  F.  Foster,         -        -        -        -        -  Gloucester,    Mass. 

Mr.  Joseph  Clark, Cape-Elizabeth,  do. 

Mr.  John  Stafford, Boston,  Mass. 

Mr.  Charles  Whitewood,      ....  New- York. 
.    Mr.  Reuben  Bunn,  --....  do. 

Mr.  Samuel  Rossett, do. 

Mr.  Jacob  F.  Taylor, Philadelphia 

Mr.  William  Conklin,  ....  New- York. 

Mr.  Samuel  S.  Brush, do. 


\V 


i    i. 


mmmmmmmi 


'1   • 


CERTIFICATE. 


Capt.  John  C  Rowles, Baltimore,  Md. 

Mr.  John  Meigh, Boston,  Mass. 

Mr  Edward  Shaw,  -       -       -       - '      -  Baltimore,  Md. 

Lieut.  S.  S.  Fitoh,       .....  Conneoticut. 

Mr.  Samuel  Correy, Vermont. 

Mr.  Samuel  Howard,    .....  Baltimore,  Md. 

Mr.  William  Clark,         -       -       -  ^  -j^  ,i  ti,  Boston,  Maas.    , 
^^  Mr.  Joseph  Fusdick,     .....  do.  ,,  •• 

Mr.  Samuel  Morrison, New- York.  -        '    *^' '" 

Mr.  William  Hull,       -        -       i^.T-'i*^  o*^J  »  do.     ' 

Mr.  William  Atkins,        -       -       ...    -  _: Conneoticut. 

Mr.  Daniel  Hotohkins,  ....  Salem,  Mass.   - 

Mr.  Thomas  Carlton,       -        -        -        -        -  Boston,    do.  f' 

Mr.  John  Migat,  -        -     -  .»..    „-        •!-...•.<  .  Warren,  R.  I.   • 

,     Mr.  Cornelius  Hoy,  -       -       -       -       -  Baltimore,  Md.    , 

Capt.  Jesse  S.  Smith, Stonington,  Conn. ' 

Mr  .lames  Sproson, New- York, 

■     Mr.  Benjamin  Wheeler,       -       -       -        -  Baltimore,  Md. 

Mr.  George  Scott, , . 

Capt.  Matthew  S.  Steel,       ....  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Mr.  W.  P.  Sevear, Baltimore,  Md. 

Capt.  Ja'mos  McQuilter,        ....  do.        do. 

Mr.  John  S.  Miller, do.        do. 

Mr.  Thomas  Bailey,     -       -       -       -        -  Salem,  Mass. 

f        Mr.  Warren  Humphrey,  ....  Connecticut. 

'"    Mr.  William  Rea,         -        .        .        .-       .  Boston,  Mass. 

•   Capt.  Thomas  Hussey,     -        ...        -  Hudson,  N.  Y. 

■'   Capt.  James  Boggs,      -        -        -        -        -  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Capl.  James  Gays, Virginia. 

'''-'  Capt.  Thomas  Mumford,      -        -        -        .  Newport,  R.  I.      "' 

Mr.  Isaac  Dowel, Baltimore,  Md. 

*■  Mr.  Frederick  G.  Low,         ....  Cape- Ann. 

Mr.  Henry  Bull, ——  Connecticut. 

'   Doct,  Benjamin  Mercer,        ....  New- York. 

Mr.  Reuben  Sherman,      .        -        -        -        -  Mass. 

N.  B. — ^Oufc  of  the  above  list  there  are,  at  this  time,''only  nine 
survivors,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained.    <  ^ 

'■'  -r       '  '        ''■'■.  '   ;n  tt^ 

f  -  -:,  .*;^         1  •         -    .  ■    »  '■•  ^,T*'  , 

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■'•  ■■  .•:■■•     ■-.  .■,»■'..    :i     -^    V-if>':l^  .iM 

•  i  .  -  '. 


THE  PRISONERS'  MEMOIRS, 


OR 


DA;RTMOOR    PRISON. 


\ 


The  war  between  the  United  States  of  America  and  Great 
Britain,  which  has  been  so  costly  in  blood  and  treasure,  rfnd 
agonized  the  hearts  of  so  many  thousands  of  our  fellow-beings, 
was  formally  declared,  by  a  proclamation  issued  by  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  in  conformity  with  a  solemn  act  of 
the  supreme  legislature  of  the  nation,  on  the  eighteenth  day 
of  June,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  twelve.     The  nations  were,  by  this  act,  at  open  hostilities, 
and  began  to  oaptiii?'e  each  other's  vessels  upon  the  high  seas, 
wherever  found.     I  myself  happened  to  be  so  unfortunate  as 
to  be  among  the  first  captives  brought  into  England.     On  our 
,  first  arrival  there,  we  were  all  collected  from  different  ports, 
and  confined  in  different  prisons.     Some  were  sent  to  Chat- 
I  ham,  some  ta  Hamoze,  and  others  to  Portsmouth  ;  where  a 
I  strict  examination  took  place  as  to  their  nativity  and  citizen- 
ship.    After  the  examination,  the  officers  who  were  entitled 
[to  their  parde,  (such  as  commanders  and  first  lieutenants  of 
j  privateers  mounting  fourteen  guns,  commanders  and  first  mates 
tof  merchantmen,  non-combatants,  &c.)  received  it,  and  were 
[sent  to  the  little  village  of  Ashburton,  in  Devonshire,  or  Read- 
[ing,  in  Berk|hire ;  the  former  is  situated   about  twenty-six 
liles  inland  from  Plymouth,  and  the  principal  place  of  con- 
inement  for  paroled  officers.      The  town  of  Ashburton  is 
)leasantly  situated  in  a  healthy  and  fertile  part  of  the  country, 
'here  everyarticle  of  provision  is  more  easily  obtained  and 
a  much  cheaper  rate  than  in  many  other  parts  of  the  king- 
Jom.     Here  all  the  officers  on  parole  had  their  names  regis- 
tered, and   particular   personal   description   taken   of   them, 
hey  had  allowed  them  by  the  British  government  one  shilling 
md  six  pence,  which  is  equal  to  thirty-three  and  a  quarter 
jents,  money  of  the  United  States,  per  day  each  man.     With 


T 


6 


THE     prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


this  small  allowance,  great  numbers  of  paroled  officers  were 
compelled  entirely  to  subsist,  for  havinjr  no  other  dependence 
and  no  friends  in  this  country,  they  were  obliged  to  purchase 
clothing,  board,  and  lodging,  and  all  other  necessaries  of  life, 
and  to  make  use  of  every  economy  to  pi  event  themselves  from 
suffering,  uotwithstanding  the  cheapness  of  provisions,  and  the 
facility  of  obtaining  them.  They  were  permitted,  during  the 
day,  to  walk  one  mile  on  the  turnpike  i*oad  towards  London  or 
Plymouth,  and  at  a  certain  early  hour  every  eveping  they  had 
to  retire  to  their  respective  lodgings,  and  there  to  remain  till 
next  morning  ;  those  were  their  general  restrictiops  for  all  the 
days  in  the  week,  except  two,  on  which  every  officer  must  an- 
swer at  a  particular  place  appointed  by  theif  keepers,  in  the 
presence  of  their  agent  or  inspector.  In  this  manner  some 
hundr4?ds  of  officers  were  compelled  to  drag  out  a  tedious  ex. 
istence  in  a  state  of  painful  solicitude  for  their  country,  their 
homes  and  families,  during  the  greater  part  of  the  late  war. 

;  I  But  the  condition  of  the  officers  on  parole  was  enviable  in- 
deed, when  compared  with  that  of  the  officeris.  and  dithers  not 
entitled  to  that  privilege.  Every  such  person  tsken  under  the 
flag  of  the  United  States,  were  sent  to  some  one  ^pf  the  places 
before  mentioned,  and  confined  on  board  prison  ships.  The 
greatest  number  were  sent  to  the  Hector  and  La  Brave,  two 
line  of  b(%ttle  ships  which  were  unfit  for  his  majesty's  service 
at  sea,  and  were  now  used  for  the  confiL  :ment  c|'  prisoners  of 
yr/BLT.  These  were  placed  under  the  command  oil  a  lieutenant, 
master's  mate,  midshipman,  and  about  twenty  invidid  seamen  ; 
there  is  also  a  guard  under  the  command  of  a  lieutenant,  en- 
sign,  and  corporal,  consisting  of  thirty-five  soldiafs  to  each  of 
these  ships.  4 

The  Hector  and  La  Brave  lie  about  two  miles  from  Ply- 
mouth,  well  moored  by  chain  moorings.  Captain  Edward 
Pelew,  of  the  royal  navy,  the  agent  for  prisoners  of  war,  re- 
sides at  this  place.  On  the  reception  of  all  prisoners  into 
their  respective  prison  ships,  they  were  obliged  to  undergo  a 
strict  examination  concerning  their  birth,  place  of  residence, 
and  age  ;  a  complete  and  minute  description  of  their  |)ersoti 

It  in  all  respects  was  taken  down  in  writing.  AfteF  the  exam- 
ination, there  was  delivered  to  each  man  a  very  coarse  and 
worthless  hammock,  with  a  thin  coarse  bed-sack,.*  With  at  most 
Hot  more  than  three  or  four  pounds  of  flops  or  ck>pped  rags, 
one  thin  boarse  and  sleazy  blanket ;  this  furniture  vt  the  bed* 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


chamber  was  to  last  for  a  year  and  a  half  before  we  could 
draw  athers.  Afler  the  distribution  of  the  bedding,  we  were 
informed  of  the  rules  and  restrictions  which  we  must  strictly 
obserre.  Every  ship  has  a  physician  attached  to  it,  who  is 
ever  ta  be  on  board,  and  when  any  prisoner  is  sick,  he  is  to 
repair  Immediately  to  a  certain  part  of  the  ship  for  medical 
aid ;  but  seldom  has  he  any  attention  paid  him  till  the  moment 
of  dissolution,  the  doctors  paying  but  little  attention  to  the  suf- 
fering ]3iisoners,  although  a  prisoner* is  seldom  or  never  suffer- 
ed to  ejcpive  on  board  ;  for  at  the  moment  death  seems  inevita- 
bly approaolting,  the  prisoner  is  removed  to  a  ship  lying  near 
by,  called  the  hospital  ship,  where  if  he  happen  to  survive  the 
removal,  he  loceives  much  better  treatment  and  attendance ; 
but  when  once  removed  to  that  ship,  they  may  bid  adieu  to 
their  fellow-prisoners,  and  most  of  them  to  sublunary  things  ; 
for  not  more  than  one  out  of  ten  ever  recovers. 

We  were  then  informed,  that  the  Transport  Board  had  most 
graciously  and  humanely,  for  the  health  and  happiness  of  the 
prisoners,  imposed  on  them  the  following  duty  ;  to  keep  clean 
the  iship's  decks  and  hold ;  to  hoist  in  water,  provisions,  coal, 
and  every  other  article  expended  or  used  in  the  ship ;  and  also 
to  permit  the  prisoners  to  cook  their  own  victuals,  which  con- 
sisted of  the  following  rations  allowed  by  the  English  govern- 
ment :  To  each  man  one  pound  and  a  half  of  very 'poor 
coarse  bread,  half  a  pound  of  beef,  including  the  bone,  one- 
third  of  an  ounce  of  salt,  and  the  same  quantity  of  barley, 
with  one  or  two  turnips,  per  man.  These  were  the  rations  for 
five  days  in  the  week  ;  the  other  two  were  fish  days,  the  ra- 
tions for  which  were  one  pound  of  salt  fish,  the  same  weight 
of  potatoes  and  the  usual  allowance  of  bread. 

The  con^ement,  and  this  scanty  and  meager  diet  for  men 
who  were  brought  up  in  a  land  of  liberty,  and  ever  used  to 
feast  on  the  luscious  fruits  of  plenty,  soon  brought  on  a  pale 
and  sickly  countenance,  a  feeble  and  dejected  spirit,  and  a 
lean,  half  animate  body.  This. bad  state  of  living,  I  solemnly 
believe,  ha|  been  the  serious  cause  of  inducing  many  valuable 
citizens  of  the  United  States  to  enter  the  king's  service,  to  the 
great  irjtiry  of  their  country. 

The  prteoners  are  counted  every  night  as  they  are  ordered 
below  by  the  guard  ;  and  every  morning,  about  sunrise,  each 
prisoner  is  obliged  to  "  take  up  his  bed  and  walk ;'»  for  he  is 
ordered  to  shoulder  his  hammock  and  go  on  deck,  and  be 


^^^^^m^m^mmm 


8 


THE    PRISONERS^    MEMOIRS, 


counted  with  it  on  his  shoulder.  He  then  leaves  his  hammock 
on  deck  all  day,  and  has  permission  to  go  below  or  remain  on 
deck,  as  best  suits  his  convenience.  ; 

No  prisoner  is  permitted  to  hold  any  correspondence,  except 
by  unsettled  letters  passing  through  the  hands  of  the  Board  of 
Transport.  No  boat  is  permitted  to  come  alongside  the  ship, 
unless  by  permission  of  the  comnianding  officer,  and  then 
must  be  strictly  examined  by  the  sentry,  to  prevent  an)f  liquor, 
newspapers,  or  o?*ndl  js,  from  coming  among  the  prisoners ; 
these  being  prohibited  by  the  gracious  and  humane  Board  of 
Transport. 

For  consolation  in  our  present  miserable  condition,  we  were 
informed  that  the  sp.id  honorable  Board  had  indulgently  permit- 
ted the  American  prisoners  to  establish  and  carry  on  any 
branch  of  manufacture,  except  such  as  netting,  woollen  fabrics, 
making  straw  hats  and  bonnets,  &c.  &c. ;  or  rather,  they  pro- 
hibited every  branch  of  manufactory  which  they  were  capable 
of  pursuing.  At  this  time  they  could  have  carried  on  the 
making  ot  straw  into  flats  for  bjnnets  with  very  considerable 
advantage,  as  almost  every  sailor  was  more  or  loss  capable  of 
working  at  this  art,  and,  by  strict  attention  to  the  business, 
could  have  earned  six  or  eight  pence  sterling  per  day :  but 
this  was  not  permitted,  and  we  considered  this  prohibition  a 
contrivance  of  »he  agents  of  government  to  induce  the  prison- 
ers to  enter  his  majesty's  service.  Their  situation  was  now 
so  abject  and  wretched,  that  they  were  willing  to  embrace  any 
opportunity  where  there  was  the  least  prospect  of  bettering 
their  condition,  however  repugnant  to  their  feelings  or  senti- 
ments ;  and  though  their  country's  interest  was  ever  nearest 
to  their  hearts,  yet,  through  the  faint  hope  of  ameliorating 
their  condition,  and  some  day  or  other  of  returning  to  their 
native  land,  their  wives  and  families,  some  of  less  fortitude 
were  induced  to  join  in  arms  against  their  country.  It  could 
not  be  a  crime ;  for  self-preservation  is  the  fifst  Ifw  of  na- 
ture. ' 

From  the  first  of  our  imprisonment,  which  was  shortly  after 
the  commencement  of  the  war,  prisoners  were  constantly  ar- 
riving, and  immediately  disposed  of  in  one  or  other  of  these 
depots  : — among  them  were  great  numbers  of  American  sea- 
men who  had  been  delivered  up  from  the  different  ships  of  war 
in  the  English  service,  on  board  of  which  they  had  remained 
from  one  to  ten  years,  and  after  receiving  many  dozen  lashes 


hammock 
remain  on 

ice,  except 
B  Board  of 
e  the  ship, 
and  then 
injfliquor, 
prisoners ; 
!  Board  of 

I,  we  were 
tly  permit- 
ry  on  any 
en  fabrics, 
,  they  pro- 
re  capable 
ed  on  the 
nsiderable 
capable  of 
!  business, 
•  day :  but 
bhibition  a 
^he  prison- 
was  now 
)race  any 
bettering 
;s  or  senti- 
er  nearest 
leliorating 
to  their 
fortitude 
It  could 
iw  of  na- 


g 


ortly  after 
itantly  ar- 
r  of  these 
rican  sea- 
ps  of  war 
remained 
^n  lashes 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


9 


at  the  gangway  of  the  ships,  were  sent  to  prison  with  the  ap- 
pellation of  "  dammed  rebellious  villians,  unfit  for  his  majesty's 
service!"  . 

During  the  fall  of  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
twelve,  until  April  in  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirteen, 
the  En^riish  had  collected  at  the  following  depots  the  number 
hereinauer  mentioned,  who  were  mostly  prisoners  delivered  up 
from  ships  of  war,  and  citizens  of  the  United  States  detained 
in  them  for  some  time  before.     At  Chatham  were  collected 
about  nine  iiundred  ;  at  Portsmouth,  about  one  hundred  ;  and 
at  Plymouth,  about  seven  hundred.     These  unfortunate  men 
had  ofien  made  application  to  Mr.   Beasley,  the  agent   for 
American  prisoners  of  war,  who  resided  in  England,  but  were 
never  able  to  obtain  an  answer  from  him.     At  this  time,  great 
numbers  of  the  oldest  prisoners  were  completely  destitute  of 
clothing,  and  the  most  active  and  cleanly  unable  to  avoid  be- 
ing covered  with  vermin.  > 
On  the  second  of  April,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
thirteen,  the  Transport  Board,  apprehending  the  escape  of  the 
prisoners,  in  consequence  of  their  repeated  threats  to  that  pur- 
pose,  issued  an  order  to  Captain  Pelew,  then  agent  for  the  pris- 
[oners  at  Plymouth,  to  make  preparation  for  removing  all  the 
[prisoners   then  confined  on  boarj  the  Hector  prison-ship,   at 
Plymouth,  to  the  depot  at  Dartmoor,  in  the  county  of  Devon, 
[situated  seventeen  miles  from  Plymouth,  in  the  back  country. 
These  orders  were  accordingly  made  known  to  the  prison- 
rs ;  and  on  the  morning  of  the  third  of  April,  they  were  or- 
ered  on  deck,  with  their  hammocks,  baggage,  dec,  in  readiness 
jto  march  to  a  prison,  the  very  name  of  which  made  the  mind 
if  every  prisoner  "shrink  back  with  dread,  and  startle  r    the 
bought ;''  for  fame  had  made  them  well  acquainted  with  the 
errors  of  that  infernal   abode,  which  "was  by  far  the  most 
readful  prison  in  all  England,  and  in  which  it  was  next  to 
mpossibfe  forlmman  beings  long  to  survive. 

Two  hundred  and  fifty  dejected  and  unhappy  suflTerers,  al- 
eady  too  wretched,  were  called,  each  of  whom  received  a 
air  of  shoes,  and  his  allowancfe  of  bread  and  salt  fish.  Or- 
ers  were  then  immediately  given,  for  every  man  to  deliver 
p  his  bed  and  hammock,  and  to  repair  forthwith  into  the  dif- 
ferent launches  belonging  to  the  ships  of  war,  which  were 
longside  the  ship,  ready  to  receive  them.  The  prisoners 
intered,  surrounded  by  the  guards  and  i  amen  belonging  to 


10 


TUB   prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


the  Hector  and  La  Brave.  We  were  landed  at  New  Pfj^ssage, 
neai'  Plymouth,  and  were  placed  under  the  guard  of  a  com. 
pany  of  soldiers,  equal  in  number  to  the  prisoners !  Orders 
were  then  given  to  march  at  half-past  ten  in  the  morning,  with 
a  positive  injunction  that  no  prisoner  should  step  out  of,  or 
leave  the  ranl^,  on  pain  of  instant  death.  Thus  we  marched, 
surrounded  by  a  strong  guard,  through  a  heavy  rain,  eyad  over 
a  bad  road,  with  only  our  usual  and  scanty  allowance <ot  bread 
and  fish.  We  were  allowed  to  stop  only  once  during  the  march 
of  seventeen  miles. 

We  arrived  at  Dartmoor  late  in  the  after  part  of  the  day, 
and  found  the  ground  covered  with  snow.  Nothing  could  form 
a  more  dreary  prospect  than  that  which  now  presented  itself 
to  our  hopeless  view.  Death  itself,  with  the  hopes  of  an  here- 
after, seemed  less  terrible  than  this  gloomy  prison. 

The  prison  at  Dartmoor  is  situated  op  the  east  side  of  one  of 
the  highest  and  most  barren  mountains  in  England,  and  is  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see,  by  the  gloomy 
features  of  a  black  moor,  uncultivated  and  uninhabited,  except 
by  one  or  two  miserable  cottages,  just  discernible  in  an  eastern 
view,  the  tenants  of  which  live  by  cutting  turf  on  the  moor, 
and  selling  it  at  the  prison.  The  place  is  deprived  of  every 
thing  that  is  pleasant  or  agreeable,  and  is  productive  of  no- 
thing but  human  woe  and  misery.  Even  riches,  pleasant 
friends  and  liberty  could  not  make  it  agreeable.  It  is  situated 
seventeen  miles  distant  from  Plymouth,  fourteen  from  the  town 
of  Moorton,  and  seven  from  the  little  village  of  Tavastock. 

Ok  entering  this  depot  "  of  living  death,"  we  first  passed 
through  the  gates,  and  found  ourselves  surrounded  by  two 
huge  circular  walls,  the  outer  one  of  which  is  a  mile  in  cir- 
cumference and  sixteen  feet  high ;  the  inner  wall  is  distant 
from  the  outer  thirty  feet,  around  which  is  a  chain  of  bells  sus- 
pended by  a  wire,  so  that  ';he  least  touch  sets  every  bell  in  mo- 
tion, and  alarms  the  garrison.  On  the  top  of  the  inner  wall  is 
placed  a  guard  at  the  distance  of  every  twenty  feet,  which 
frustrates  '3 very  attempt  at  escape,  and  instantly  quells  every 
disorderly  motion  of  the  prisoners.  Between  the  two  walls 
and  over  the  intermediate  space,  are  also  stationed  guards. 
The  soldiers'  guard  house,  the  turnkey's  office,  andrPnany  other 
small  buildings,  are  also  within  these  two  circular  walls.  Like- 
wise several  large  commodious  dwelling-houses,  ]prhich  are 
occupied  by  the  captain  of  the  prison,  debtor,  clerks,  turnkeys, 


&c.,  ^ 
pacioL 
hospiti 
spared 
the  si( 
directc 
for  the 
extensi 
small  i 
ranks 
mount! 
Thu 
we  sha 
sion  its 
the  fol 
before 
rough, 
eighty 
averag 
also  at 
called 
floored 
the  un 
the  pri 
most 
days, 
food,  w 
[ment 
n  th( 


ik>  /^ 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


li 


&c.,  &c.  Inside  of  the  walls  are  erected  large  barracks,  ca- 
pacious enough  to  contain  one  thousand  soldiers,  and  also  a 
hospital  for  the  reception  of  the  sick.  No  pains  have  been 
spared  to  render  the  hospital  convenient  and  comfortable  for 
the  sick  prisoner.  And  certainly  much  credit  is  due  to  the 
director  of  this  humane  institution,  whoever  he  may  have  been, 
for  the  'attention  paid  to  this  most  important  appendage  of  an 
extensive  prison.  These  last  mentioned  buildings,  and  several 
small  store-houses,  are  enclosed  by  a  third  wall.  These  three 
ranks  of  walls  form  in  this  direction  a  barrier  which  is  insur- 
mountable. 

Thus  much  for  the  court-yard  of  this  seminary  of  misery ; 
we  shall  next  proceed  to  give  a  description  of  the  gloomy  man- 
sion itself.     On  entering,  we  found  seven  prisons  enclosed  in 
the  following  manner,  and  situated  quite  within  all  the  walls 
before  mentioned.     Prison  No.  1,  2  and  3,  are  built  of  hard, 
rough,  unhewn  stone,  three  stories  high,  one  hundred   and 
eighty  feet  long  and  forty  broad  ;  each  of  these  prisons,  on  an 
average,  are  to  contain  fifteen  hundred  prisoners.     There  is 
also  attached  to  the  yard  of  these  prisons  a  house  of  correction, 
called  a  cachot ;  this  is  built  of  large  stone,  arched  above  and 
floored  with  the  same.     Into  this  cold,  dark,  and  damp  cell, 
the  unhappy  prisoner  is  cast  if  he  offend  against  the  rules  of 
I  the  prison,  either  willingly  or  inadvertently,  and  often  on  the 
imost  frivolous  pretence.      There  he  must  remain  for  many 
days,  and  often  weeks,  on  two-thirds  the  usual  allowance  of 
'food,  without  a  hammock  or  bed,  and  nothing  but  a  stone  pave- 
ment for  his  chair  and  bed.     These  three  prisons  are  situated 
on  the  north  side  of  the  enclosure,  as  is  also  the  cachot,  and 
jseparated  frorn'the  other  prisons  by  a  wall.     Next  to  these  is 
[another,  No.,4,  which  is  equally  as  large  as  any  of  the  others ; 
5  is  sepai'ated  from  all  the  others  by  a  wall  on  each  side, 
md  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  circular  walls. 

Adjoining  to  this,  are  situated,  in  rotation,  prisons  No.  5,  6, 
ind  7,  along  the  south  side  of  the  circular  wall.  To  each 
')rison  is  attached  a  small  yard,  with  a  constant  run  of  water 
)assing  through  it. 

After  viewing  this  huge  pile  of  building,  and  obtaining  what 
little  information  we  v/ere  able  at  this  time,  we  were  informed 
^hat  these  seven  prisons  contained  a  small  family  of  French 
)eople,  consisting  of  about  eight  thousand,  who  were  also  pris- 
)ners  of  war.     Among  these  fluttering,  ghastly  skeletons,  we 


»: 


13 


i 


i 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


were  directed  to  take  up  our  abode,  and  distribute  ourselves  as 
well  as  we  could* 

We  received  our  usual  hammock  and  bed,  and  in  conformity 
with  our  orders,  repaired  separately  to  one  or  other  of  six  of 
these  prisons;  the  seventh  being  allotted  to  those  criminals 
who  had  committed  misdemeanors,  such  as  murder,  larceny 
on  their  fsllow-prisoners,  jand  other  heinous  oiTences,  which  too 
frequently  occurred. 

We  entered  the  prisons ;  but  here  the  heart  of  every  Ameri- 
can was  appalled.  Amazement  struck  the  unhappy  victim  ; 
for  as  he  cast  his  hopeless  eyes  around  the  prison,  he  saw  the 
water  constantly  dropping  from  thecold  stone  walls  on  every 
side,  which  kept  the  floor  (made  of  stone)  constantly  wet,  and 
cold  as  ice. 

All  the  prison  floors, were  either  stone  or  cement,  and  each 
story  contained  but  one  apartment,  and  resembled  long  vacant 
horse-stables.  There  were  in  each  story  six  tier  of  joists  for 
the  prisoners  to  fasten  their  hammocks  to.  The  hammocks 
have  a  stick  at  each  end  to  spread  them  out,  and  are  hung  in 
the  manner  of  cots,  four  or  five  deep,  or  one  above  the  other. 
On  each  side  of  the  prison  is  left  a  vacancy  for  a  passage  from 
one  end  of  the  prison  to  the  other.  We  were  then  informed  that 
the  prisoners  must  be  counted  out  and  messed,  six  together, 
every  morning  by  the  guards  and  turnkeys. 

During  the  month  of  April  there  was  scarce  a  day  but  more 
or  less  rain  fell.  The  weather  here  is  almost  constantly  wet  and 
foggy,  on  account  of  the  prison  being  situated  on  the  top  of  a 
mountain,  whose  elevation  is  two  thousand  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  This  height  is  equal  to  the  plane  on  which  the  clouds 
generally  float  in  a  storm,  the  atmosphere  not  being  dense 
enough  to  support  heavy  clouds  much  above  that  height ;  al- 
most every  one  that  passes  that  way  finds  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tain enveloped  in  a  thick  fog  and  heavy  torrent  of  rain.  In  winter 
the  same  cause  makes  as  frequent  snows  as  rain  in  summer. 
It  is  also  some  degrees  colder  during  the  whole  year  than  in 
the  adjacent  country  below.  This  too  is  occasioned  by  the 
great  elevation  of  the  top  of  the  mountain,  which  is  above  the 
atmosphere  heated  by  the  reflected  rays  of  the  sun  upon  the 
common  surface  of  the  earth,  and  being  small  of  itself,  reflects  ^ 
but  little  heat.  These  two  causes  combined,  produce  constant 
cold  and  wet  weather. 

Information  was  brought  us  that  all  prisoners,  in  England 


lKtr< 


OR   DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


18 


were  placed  on  a. naval  establishment,  and  under  the  direction 
of  a  naval  officer.  Captain  ISaac  Cotgrave,  of  the  royal  navy, 
was  the  agent  for  the  prisoners  of  war  at  this  depot.  The 
Transport  Board  directed  that  a  market  should  be  held  every 
day,  in  front  of  each  prison  yard.  This  market  was  supplied 
with  provisions  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  adjacent  country; 
twenty  or  thirty  of  whom  came  every  day,  and  furnished  it 
with  every  kind  of  country  produce.  They  were  not  allowed 
to  impose  on  the  prisoners,  by  demanding  an  exhorbitant  price 
for  their  produce  ;  the  prices  of  every  article  were  fixed  by 
the  turnkey's  before  they  entered  the  yard,  according  to  the 
prices'in  the  nearest  market-town.  No  person  was  permitted 
to-  enter  within  the  first  gate,  without  being  strictly  examined 
as  to  their  business,  and  without  giving  a  satisfactory  ac- 
count of  themselves ;  if  they  did  this,  they  were  then  permit- 
ted to  enter  and  begin  their  trade. 

At  the  market,  the  French  prisoners  carry  on  a  great  traf- 
fic. They  buy  and  sell,  and  are,  apparently,  as  happy  atj  if 
they  were  not  imprisoned.  But  the  Americans  are  not  so ; — 
they  long  for  that  land  of  liberty,  so  dear  to  them,  and  sigh  for 
their  distant  home. 

As  this  depot  seems  to  be  the  most  interesting  scene  of  mis- 
ery, we  shall  confine  ourselves  more  particularly  to  the  events 
which  occurred  here ;  only  touching,  occasionally,  upon  the 
most  important  events  of  the  few  prisoners  at  the  other  depots. 
From  the  commencement  of  the  war,  and  previous  to  April 
1813,  a  great  number  of  prisoners  had  been  sent  home,  by  ex- 
change. Numbers  died,  and  some  entered  the  service  of  Great 
Britain.  The  names  of  those  who  died,  and  those  who  enter, 
ed  the  service,  are  mentioned  in  the  catalogue  hereunto  annex- 
ed. About  the  first  of  May,  Captain  Cotgrave  gave  orders  to 
have  all  the  American  prisoners  collected  from  the  different 
prisons,  and  transferred  to  prison  No.  4. 

In  this  prison  were  about  nine  hundred  of  the  most  ebject 

and  outcaM  wretches  that  were  ever  beheld.     French  prison- 

i  ers,  too  wicked  and  malicious  to  live  with  their  other  unfortu- 

I  nate  countrymen  :  they  were  literally  and  emphatically  naked ; 

having  neither  clothing  or  shoes,  and  as  poor  and  meager  in 

flesh  as  the  human  frame  could  bear.     Their  appearance  v/as 

I  really  bnocking  to  human  feeling.     The  mind  cannot  figure  to 

jitself  any  thing  in  the  shape  of  men,  which  so  much  resem-  . 

Ibled  the  fabled  ghosts  of  Pluto,  as  these  naked  and  starved 


\F 


':A 


14 


TflE   prisoners'   memoirs, 


French  pnsoners.  Much  of  the  misery  and  wretchedness  of 
these  creatures  was  owing  to  th«r  imprudence  and  bad  con. 
duct. 

These  men  were  now  to  be  our  associates,  and  we  deprived 
of  the  privileges  allowed  heretofore  to  prisoners  of  war.  As 
the  gate  of  this  yard  is  always  kept  shut,  we  could  have  no 
advantage  of  the  markets,  or  connexion  with  the  other  prison, 
ersj  while  the  French  prisoners,  in  the  other  prisons,  were 
allowed  those  benefits. 

The  Aiiiericun  prisoners  now  began  to  experience  a  new 
scene  of  distress ; — the  little  clothing  they  had  when  they 
were  taken,  was  either  worn  out  or  disposed  of  at  a  very  re. 
duced  prior,  (not  more  than  one  tenth  of  the  value,)  to  buy 
the  very  necessary  articles  of  soap  and  tobacco. 

We  remained  in  this  situation  during  the  month  of  May, 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirteen,  close  confined  in 
prison  No.  4,  with  the  liberty  of  that  one  yard.  We  often 
demanded  of  Captain  Cotgrave,the  reason  why  such  distinc- 
tion was  made  between  the  American  and  French  prisoners ; 
but  were  never  able  to  obtain  any  other  reason,  than  that  his 
orders  were  issued  from  the  Transport  Board  to  do  so.  This 
month  we  received  letters  from  our  fellow- prisoneirs  at  Chat- 
ham,  and  those  on  board  the  prison  ships  at  Plymouth ;  who 
informed  us  of  every  particular  of  their  situation  at  both  pla- 
ces ;  but  they  were  comparatively  well  off,  when  compared 
with  our  situation.  The  prisoners  at  Plymouth  informed  us, 
that  other  prisoners  arrived  there  daily,  and  that  they  expected 
shortly  to  be  removed,  and  to  participate  with  us  in  the  suffer- 
ings  and  misery  of  Dartmoor. 

On  the  twenty-  ninth  of  May,  the  garrison  which  we  found 
here,  was  removed  and  supplied  by  new  regiments  of  soldiers. 
We  learned,  that  no  regiment  is  stationed  here  more  than  two 
or  three  months  at  a  time.  These  guards  consist  of  about 
twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  soldiers,  who  have  been  guilty  of 
some  offence,  disobedience  of  orders,  or  neglect  of  duty ;  and 
are  sent  here  as  a  punishment.  By  these  soldiers  we  were 
informed  of  the  particulars  of  the  actions  of  the  Java  and 
Peacock. 

At  thiti  time  we  made  known,  in  as  respectful  a  manner  as 
we  could,  all  the  particulars  of  our  unhappy  Hitu^tion  to  Mr. 
Reuben  G.  Beafiley,  agent  for  American  prisoners  of  war. 
We  informed  him  that  our  allowance  was  too  scanty,  that  the 


OR   DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


15 


whole  day's  allowance  was  scarcely  enough  for  one  meal,  that 
the  greater  part  of  the  prisoners  were  in  a  state  of  nakedness ; 
and  also,  that  great  numbers  had  enlisted  out  of  the  prison, 
into  the  king's  service  ; — that  they  hud  been  conipelled  to  do 
it,  in  hopes  to  better  their  condition,  and  indeed  to  preserve 
life.  For,  as  they  were  wholly  neglected  by  the  agent  of  their 
country,  they  saw  no  other  means  by  which  it  was  possible  to 
preserve  existence — or  ever  to  return  to  their  country  ;  as  they 
totally  despaired  of  any  exchange. 

At  the  same  time  we  informed  him,  that  unless  something 
was  done  soon  for  cur  relief,  we  must  all  either  (though  re- 
luctantly) enter  the  service  of  the  enemy,  or  fall  a  sacrifice  to 
famine  and  want. 

We  informed  him  also  of  the  distinction  which  was  made 
between  the  French  and  American  prisoners.  The  former 
were  allowed  many  privileges  and  advantages,  which  were 
denied  the  latter ;  and  that  our  treatment  was  contrary  to 
what  we  considered  the  custom  and  usage  of  civilized  nations 
in  modern  warfare.  That  we  were  hurried  into  the  prison* 
house  before  dark,  locked  up,  to  remain  without  any  light  or 
fire  till  seven  or  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

If  a  prisoner  had  to  leave  his  hammock,  fer  necessitatem,  he 
was  obliged  to  grope  from  one  end  of  the  room  to  the  other, 
and  often  could  not  regain  it  during  the  whole  night. 

To  all  these  petitions,  complaints,  and  remonstrances,  M^. 
Beasley  returned  no  answer,  nor  took  any  notice  of  them 
whatever  ;  which,  of  course,  made  every  prisoner  despair  of 
any  relief  from  him.  These  letters  could  not  miscarry,  or  be 
intercepted  ;  for  we  had  formed  a  course  of  correspondence 
with  several  very  respectable  mercantile  houses  in  London, 
through  which  our  letters  were  sure  to  reach  Mr.  Beasley  by 
private  conveyance. 

The  mbnth  of  June  commenced  with  deep  distress  ;  for  dis- 
ease was  then  added  to  nakedness  and  famine  ;  and  we  were 
still  more  {  verely  dealt  by.  For  Doctor  Dyer,  who  was  head 
surgeon  of  the  Hospital-department,  would  not  permit  an 
America^  prisoner  to  be  brought  into  the  hospital,  until  his 
complaint  was  completely  confirmed,  and  often  not  until  he 
was  so  weak,  and  reduced  so  low,  that  it  would  take  four  men 
to  remove  him  on  his  hammock.  For  this  conduct,  he  justified 
himself  by  saying,  that  he  had  been  acquainted  with  the  im- 
positions of  the  Americans  during  the  revolutionary  war,  and 


^ 


16 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


that  these  impositions  were  not  to  be  played  off  on  him  any 
more. 

A  moment's  reflection  must  have  convinced  him,  that  it  was 
impossible  for  these  men  not  to  be  sick,  in  their  starved,  naked 
and .  wretched  condition  ;  sleeping  in  a  prison,  whose  walls 
were  constantly  wet  and  cold,  occasioned  by  the  constant  rainy, 
foggy,  and  damp  weather  on  this  mountain. 

But  he  refused  to  admit  the  American  prisoners  into  the 
hospital,  because,  he  said,  such  numbers  would  breed  every 
kind  of  pestilence  and  disease  among  the  French  prisoners. 
We  attributed  these  evils  to  the  shameful  Pid  criminal  neglect 
of  the  agent  of  American  prisoners,  whose  conduct  deserves 
the  severest  censure  of  every  prisoner,  and  requires  a  strict 
and  impartial  investigation  by  the  authority  of  his  country. 

From  the  first  to  the  fifleenth  of  May,  we  were  every  day 
called  out  of  the  prison  and  counted,  to  see  if  any  remained 
in  prison.  The  soldiers  then  entered  the  prison,  and  searched 
every  hammock  ;  if  they  found  any  prisoner,  he  was  hastened 
out  into  the  yard,  though  they  were  oflen  found  so  weak  and 
feeble,  that  it  required  assistance  to  enable  them  to  walk. 

The  guards  discharged  this  duty  with  great  reluctance  ; 
their  feelings  oflen  revolted,  when  compelled  to  do  this  unkind 
office,  and  though  accustomed  to  scenes  of  distress,  were  very 
sensibly  touched  at  the  miserable  situation  of  these  their  fel- 
low beings. 

On  the  eighteenth  of  May,  we  received  letters  from  the  other 
depots,  and  were  informed  that  there  were  seven  hundred  pris- 
oners  at  Plymouth,  on  board  the  Hector,  which  was  so  much 
crowded,  that  Captain  Pelew,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  and  princi- 
pal agent  of  the  Board,  had  received  orders  from  the  Board, 
to  remove  the  prisoners  to  other  depots,  either  to  that  of  Chat- 
ham,  Dartmoor,  or  Stapleton,  which  is  near  Bristol.  This  last 
place  was  fixed  on  by  the  Board  as  a  necessary  precaution  to 
prevent  any  disturbance,  which  was  apprehended  might  arise, 
should  too  many  American  prisoners  be  confined  in  one  place. 

Accordingly,  on  the  twenty-eighth,  Captain  Pelew  ordered 
two  hundred  and  fifly  to  be  landed  from  the  Hector  and  march- 
ed  to  Dartmoor.  They  arrived  there  on  the  same  day,  and 
afler  going  through  the  same  manoeuvre  as  the  first  draft,  they 
were  committed  to  No.  4.  These,  together  with  the  forr^er 
dratl,  made  four  hundred  and  seventy  Americans,  and  seven 
hundred  naked  outcast  French,  all  intermixed  in  one  prison. 


./■ 


_,j***^- 


him  any 

liat  it  was 
3d,  naked 
3se  walls 
mt  rainy, 

}  into  the 
ed  every 
)risoners. 
i\  neglect 
deserves 
}  a  strict 
mntry. 
very  day 
remained 
searched 
hastened 
iveak  and 
ralk. 

uctance ; 
ts  unkind 


,/ 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


17 


Care  was  taken  to  keep  the  yard  of  this  prison  always  lock- 
ed, to  prevent  us  from  going  to  market.  By  this  ir.cans,  all 
we  obtained  from  the  market  came  through  the  hands  of  the 
French  prisoners  in  the  other  prisons,  who  obliged  us  to  pay 
twenty-five  per  cent,  above  the  market  price  for  all  we  had. 
At  this  time,  about  thirty  wer  missing  out  of  the  number, 
some  dead,  and  others  had  enlisted  into  the  king's  service. 

On  the  twenty-ninth,  fifty  more  American  prisoners  were 
transported  from  on  board  the  Hector,  iii  a  ship  of  war,  round 
to  Chatham.  Two  only  at  a  time  were  permitted  to  come  on 
deck ;  the  others  were  compelled  to  remain  below,  without 
hammock,  bed,  or  blanket.  I  leave  the  reader  to  judge  whether 
this  measure  arose  from  wanton  cruelty  in  those  immediately 
concerned,  or  whether  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  prevent 


their  escape,  or  rising  and  taking  the  ship,  which  had  her 
whole  crew  on  board. 

On  the  thirtieth,  two  hundred  prisoners  were  ordered  to  go 
ashore,  who  accordingly  made  themselves  ready,  and  landed 
at  New  Passage,  under  a  guard  of  seamen  and  marines. 
Here  they  were  received  by  a  guard  of  soldiers,  consisting  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty,  who  were  to  convey  them  on  foot  one 
hundred  and  thirty-four  miles  to  Stapleton^  within  a  few  miles 
of  Bristol. 

Stapleton  is  a  pleasant  situation,  and  is  a  fine  healthy  coun- 
try ;  but  the  fatigue  of  the  journey,  the  restrictions  and  in- 
convenience to  which  the  prisoners  were  subjected,  presented 
to  them  a  melancholy  prospect. 

At  the  commencement  of  their  journey,  they  were  provided 
with  a  shilling  (twenty-two  and  a  half  cents)  per  day,  for  their 
traveling  expenses.     This  was  all  the  allowance  made  them 
to  purchase  food,  drink,  and  lodging ;  and  they  were  to  per- 
form the  wh(de  journey  in  eight  days.     They  were  also  par- 
[ticularly  enjoined  not  to  leave  the  ranks  on  pain  of  death,  and 
he  guard  had  orders  to  despatch  any  prisoner  who  should  at- 
empt  to  escape.     The  particulars  of  their  march,  their  arri- 
al  at  Stapleton,  and  treatment  at  that  place,  will  be  mention- 
d  hereafter. 

On  the  first  of  July,  two  hundred  more  were  ordered  from 
n  board  the  Hector,  to  march  and  share  with  us  the  miseries 
f  Dartmoor.  They  were  landed  as  usual,  and  marched  un- 
er  a  strong  guard  to  that  mountain  of  wretchedness,  and  afler 
assing  thiough  the  usual  forms  at  their  arrival,  were  received 

2* 


^  ■  i 


V 


18 


THE   prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


I    I 


into  prison  No.  4,  and  might  justly  have  exclaimed,  in  the 
language  of  an  eminent  poet,  "  Hail,  horrors  !  hail,  thou  pro- 
foundest  hell !  receive  thy  new  possessor.'*  For  every  one 
ordered  to  this  prison,  counted  himself  lost. 

On  the  third  of  July,  another  dr&d  of  prisoners,  consisting 
of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty,  were  taken  from  the  Hector, 
and  sent  to  Stapleton,  under  the  usual  guard,  allowance,  and 
restrictions. 

The  fourth  of  July,  the  birth-day  of  our  nation,  had  now 
arrived.     The  American  prisoners,  feeling  that  fire  of  patriot- 
ism, And  that  just  pride  and  honor,  which  fills  the  bosom  of  { 
every  American,  when  that  great  day  of  jubilee  arrives,  reus- 
ed  all  their  drooping  spirits,  and  prepared  to  celebrate  it  in  a 
manner  becoming  their  situation.     We  had  by  some  means 
obtained  two  American  standards ;  and  being  upward  of  six 
hundred  in  number,  we  divided  into  two  columns,  and  display- 
ed our  flags  at  each  end  of  the  prison.     Of  the  propriety  of  { 
the  proceedings,  I  leave  the  reader  to  judge.     We  were,  how- 
ever, resolved  to  defend  them  till  the  last  moment:  but  Cap- 
tain Cotgrave,  either  from  a  determination  to  depress  our 
spirits  as  much  as  possible,  that  we  might  the  more  readily  be 
induced  tojsnter  the  service  of  the  king,  or  that  an  enemy^s 
flag  should  not  be  hoisted  in  their  country,  ordered  the  turn- 
keys to  enter  the  prison-yard,  and  take  the  colors  from  us. 
We  returned  him  an  answer,  that  the  day  was  the  birth-day 
of  freedom,  and  the  anniversary  of  our  nation ;  and  that  he 
would  confer  on  us  a  particular  favor,  if  he  would  permit  us 
to  enjoy  it  with  a  decorum  and  propriety  suited  to  our  situa- 
tion as  prisoners  of  war.     We  added  this  arrogant  condition, 
that  if  he  should  persist  in  attempting  to  take  thft  flag  which  j 
we  should  ever  respect,  in  whatever  country  we  were,  he 
must  abide  by  the  consequences.    tCaptain  Cotgrave,  being 
irritated  at  this  haughty  and  independent  language,  ordered  | 
the  guard  into  the  prison-yard  to  take  the  standards  from  us. 
An  obstinate  resistance  was  made.     After  some  time  spent  in 
fighting  for  the  flags,  the  guard  obtained  one :  the  prisoners  I 
bore  off  the  other  in  triumph,  and  secured  it.     Th6  remainder 
of  the  day  was  spent  in  harmony  and  quietness.     At  evening, ! 
when  the  guards  came  as  usual  to  turn  us  into  the  prison,  a 
dispute  arose  upon  the  pitiful  revenge  sought  for  in  depriving  j 
the  prisoners  of  their  flag.     This  soon  grew  into  an  aflray ; 
the  guards  fired  upon  the  prisoners,  and  wounded  two,  which  j 
ended  the  affray. 


it 


ii^\ 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


19 


From  the  disturbance  on  the  evening  of  the  fourth,  nothing 
ramarkable  took  place,  the  prisoners  being  generally  tolerable 
quiet  and  peaceable  till  the  tenth,  when  a  dispute  arose  be- 
tween the  French  and  American  prisoners  in  the  yard  of  No. 
4 ;  the  dispute  was  quite  warm,  and  pervaded  nearly  all  the 
prisoners  of  both  nations,  each  of  whom  espoused  the  cause  of 
his  fellow-prisoner.  Things  were  not  pushed  to  extremities 
this  evening,  the  hour  to  turn  in  prevented  their  further  pro- 
gress ;  but  animosities  had  not  subsided.  At  this  time  the 
French  prisoners  occupied  the  two  upper  stories  of  prison  No. 
4 ;  they  consisted  of  about  nine  hundred  outcasts  from  the 
other  prisons,  as  we  had  occasion  to  mention  before.  They 
had  during  the  night,  with  mdice  prepense,  concerted  a  plan 
to  massacre  the  Americans.  With  this  design,  they  had  pro- 
vided themselves  with  knives,  clubs,  stMies,  staves,  and  every 
kind  of  weapon  they  could  obtain. 

Thus  armed,  they  tiad  managed  to  be  in  the  yard  jfirst  in  the 
morning,  and  arrayed  themselves  to  give  battle  as  soon  as  a 
sufficient  number  of  Americans  should  oome  out.  Accord- 
ingly, when  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  had  entered  the 
yard,  this  group  ot  naked  malignity  began  the  attack  with 
desperate  fierceness ;  the  Americans,  unsuspicious  of  an  at- 
tack, were  of  course  unarmed,  and  at  first  could  make  no 
resistance ;  but  after  recovering  from  the  surprise  which  so 
s'ldden  an  attack  had  created,  they  made  an  attempt  to  rally; 
but  the  Frenchmen  cutting  off  their  retreat  into  the  prison  and 
preventing  those  within  from  joining  or  rendering  any  assist, 
ance,  soon  caused  the  Americans  to  fall  a  prey  to  their  supe- 
rior  number.  Before  the  guards  could  interfere  to  prevent  the 
farther  proceedings,  the  Americans  were  mostly  stabbed  or 
knocked  down  with  heavy  stones,  and  mangled  in  a  most 
shocking  manner.  What  would  have  been  the  issue,  had  not 
the  guards  entered,  and  by  charging  on  both  parties  put  a  stop 
to  the  battlcj  is  difficult  to  tell.  On  examining  the  wounded, 
(fortunately  none  were  killed,)  it  appeared  that  about  twenty 
on  both  sides  were  badly,  and  many  others  slightly  wounded. 
The  former  were  taken  to  the  hospital,  and  though  appa- 
rently dangerous,  in  a  short  time  all  recovered.  Captain 
Cotgrave  immediately  informed  the  Board  of  Transport  of  this 
unhappy  eTent ;  but  painted  it  in  such  dark  colors  on  the  side 
of  the  Americans,  that  the  Board  gave  answer,  that  the  Ameri- 
cans were  totally  different  from  all  other  men,  and  unfit  to  live 


20 


THE    PRISONERS^    MEMOIRS. 


in  any  society.  "  If  the  household  be  devils,  what  is  the  mas- 
ter of  the  house  V  Did  not  the  Americans  descend  from 
England  ? 

The  yard  of  No.  4  was  ordered  to  be  divided,  which  was 
done  by  a  wall  fifleen  feet  high,  which  cut  off  all  communica- 
tion with  the  Americans,  and  their  late  meager  assooiates. 
This  act,  though  it  seemed  to  have  been  done  to  injure  the 
Americans,  certainly  created  no  regret ;  for  instead  of  doing 
them  an  injury,  it  was  a  great  relief  to  be  disencumbered  of 
that  outcast  tribe. 

A  spark  of  momentary  joy  may  burst  through  the  darkest 
clouds  of  grief,  and  hope  for  a  moment  make  us  forget  our 
miseries.  On  the  twenty-ninth  of  this  month,  Captain  Cot- 
grave  received  orders  to  remove  one  hundred  and  twenty 
Americans  from  this  prison  to  Chatham,  which  was  to  be  the 
complement  of  a  cartel  ship  then  lying  at  that  place ;  this 
embraced  the  greater  part  of  the  prisoners  captured  before 
January,  1813.  There  remained  of  those  captured  before  and 
after  that  time,  1200  at  Chatham,  400  at  Stapleton,  and, a  few 
less  than  500  at  Dartmoor,  some  on  board  the  prison  ships,  and 
a  number  of  officers  on  parole  at  Ashburton.  The  greater 
part  of  these  had  been  delivered  up  from  ships  of  war. 

At  the  close  of  this  month,  forty-five  were  found  to  have 
entered  the  service  of  the  enemy,  and  fiAeen  had  died  at  this 
place,  seven  or  eight  at  Chatham,  and  not  one  at  Stapleton. 

At  the  commencement  of  August,  we  found  ourselves  lim- 
ited and  very  much  straitened  in  our  regulations.  We  were 
not  permitted  to  go  out  of  the  yard.  A  more  alarming  scene 
of  distress  than  any  we  had  before  experienced,  now  presented 
itself  before  us,  and  death  seemed  to  be  the  inevitable  lot  of 
every  man. 

The*  King  of  Terrors  daily  reached  forth  his  inexorable 
hand,  and  removed  the  sufferer  from  the  pale  of  this  clay  ten- 
ement ;  for  the  small -pox  had  got  among  the  prisoners,  and  its 
ravages  were  so  alarming,  that  every  prisoner  expected  each 
day  would  be  his  last ;  for  numbers  died  daily. 

The  prisoners  who  remained  able,  collected  themselves  to- 
gether, and  formed  a  committee  of  correspondence,  who,  by 
bribing  the  guards,  conveyed  letters  daily  to  Mr.  Beasley; 
particularly  describing  their  situation,  that  they  were  almost 
naked,  and  defrauded  by  the  Contractor  of  half  their  rations, 
which  before  were  but  one-third  enough.     That  the  flimall-pox 


OR  DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


21 


jhad  got  among  them,  and  numbers  died  daily — that  they  were 
covered  with  animalcula,  and  unless  he  could  do  something  for 
their  relief,  they  must  all  perish  together. 

To  these  complaints  he  paid  no  kind  of  attention,  neither 
I  came  to  see  whether  they  were  true  or  false,  nor  sent  any  an- 
Iswer  either  written  or  verbal. 

The  reader  can  easily  figure  to  himself  what  must  have 
[been  our  feelings,  when  five  hundred  men,  closely  confined  in 
one  apartment,  with  that  mortal  epidemic  among  them  without 
any  assistance,  or  possibility  of  escape. 

The  evil  must  lie  somewhere  ;  we  were  in  doubt  whether 
Ito  believe  it  was  the  will  of  the  general  government,  of  the 
1  people  at  large  of  this  country,  or  whether  it  was  not  entirely 
Ithe  fault  of  our  agent,  in  not  seeing  that  all  the  officers  in 
whose  immediate  care  we  were,  acted  the  honest  part  in  the 
iperformance  of  those  duties,  which  both  this  government  and 
Ithat  of  the  United  States  had  intrusted  to  them.  It  was  not  a 
Igeneral  thing,  and  the  evil  was  near  at  hand.  The  prisoners 
lat  Halifax  fared  well ;  they  did  not,  nor  could  not,  complain  ; 
Iprisoners  in  other  places  in  England  were  tolerably  well  pro- 
Ivided  for. 

A'fter  so  many  fruitless  applications  to  our  agent,  we  de- 
spaired of  any  relief  from  that  quarter,  and  then  made  appli- 
cation to  Captain  Cotgrave,  and  demanded  of  him,  what  pro- 
visions the  government  of  England  made  for  prisoners  of  war, 
rhen  neglected  by  their  own  government.  He  gave  us  every 
)pportunity  to  search  out  the  fault,  by  producing  the  following 
)rinted  rules  and  regulations,  made  by  the  Transport  Board. 

"  The  honorable  Transport  Board  have  made  arrangements 
kvith  certain  agents  or  contractors,  to  supply  all  prisoners  of 
ra.r,  as  follows : 

"  Each  prisoner  to  receive  per  day,  for  five  days  in  the  week, 
)ne  and  a  half  pounds  of  coarse  brown  bread  ;  one-half  pound 
)f  beef,  including  the  bone  ;  one-third  of  an  ounce  of  barley  ; 
the  same  quantity  of  salt ;  one-third  of  an  ounce  of  onions ; 
ind  one  pound  of  turnips.  The  residue  of  the  week,  the  us- 
lal  allowance  of  bread  ;  one  pound  of  pickled  fish,  and  just 
sufficient  quantity  of  coals  to  cook  the  same.  These  to  be 
^erved  out  daily  by  the  contractors." 

We  watched  the  contractor,  and  found  he  weighed  all  the 
^rticles  at  once,  neat  weight ;  and  saw  him  scrimp  the  weight, 
»  fill  his  pocket  out  of  the  prisoners'  bellies. 


22 


THE    PRISONERS^    MEMOIRS, 


On   beef  dnys,  the  whole  is  thrown   into  a  large  copper ; 
when  it  is'suffiuiently  boiled,  the  bone  is  taken  out,  and  each  I 
mess,  consisting  of  six,  receives  twenty-seven  ounces  of  beef,  | 
and  one  gallon  and  one  pint  of  soup. 

On  the  fish  days,  every  mess  boiled  their  |)otatoes  and  fish 
in  a  net  made  of  rope-yarn,  that  they  might  have  it  sepftrately 
to  themselves ;  after  it  was  boiled,  it  was  taken  up  in  wooden 
buckets,  with  which  each  mess  were  provided  ;  and  each  pris- 1 
oner,  being  also  furnished  with  a  wooden  spoon, sets  round  the] 
bucket,  on  the  wet  floor,  and  makes  a  fierce  attack. 

Afler  making  these,  and  some  other  demands,  which  wel 
considered  ourselves  entitled  to,  most  of  which  were  imme-| 
diately  granted,  but  some  delayed,  as  we  shall  note  hereafter, 
our  suflferings  were  somewhat  relieved. 

Could  not  these  have  been  removed  by  our  agent  long  be- 
fore  ?  We  find  but  few  men  so  honest  that  they  do  not  need  | 
looking  to  sometimes  by  those  who  are  interested  in  their  hon- 
esty.  These  contractors  would  have  been  as  honest  as  many  I 
other  men,  with  sharp  looking  after.  Was  it  not,  then^  the 
duty  of  Mr.  Beasley  to  see  that  the  prisoners  had  what  the 
government  of  England  allowed  them  ?  If  it  was  not,  what 
was  his  duty  1  Was  he  sent  there,  as  the  log  of  wood  in  the 
fable  was  sent  by  Jupiter  into  the  pond,  to  be  god  for  the  frogs  ? 

We  found,  by  the  printed  regulations  delivered  us  by  Capt. 
Cotgrave,  the  government  allowed  each  prisoner  a  hammock, 
one  blanket,  one  horse- rug,  and  a  bed,  containing  four  pounds 
of  flocks  ;  these  articles  too  were  to  serve  us  two  years.     By| 
the  same  regulations,  the  prisoners  were  to  receive  for  clothing, 
every  eighteen  months,  one  yellow  round-about  jacket,  onel 
pair  of  pantaloons,  and  a  \vaistcoat  of  the  same  materials,  as  the 
government  of  England  allow  for  their  soldiers  j  and  one  pair 
of  shoes  and  one  shirt,  every  nine  months.     The  shirt,  though 
coarse,  was  a  change  m  liich  wo  had  not  had  for  a  long  time| 
before.     All  these  we  demanded  and   received  ;  we  also  re- 
ceived a  woollen  cnp,  which  was  to  serve  us  eighteen  months.l 

I  cannot  leave  tliis  subject  witiiout  some  little  description  ofl 
several  of  the  articles  of  clothing.  I  will  begin  with  the  cap,| 
and  take  them  in  their  natu"al  order,  from  head  to  foot. 

The  cap  was  woollen,  about  an  inch  thick,  and  seemed  to| 
have  been  spun  in  a  rope- walk,  but  much  coarser  than  com- 
mon  rope-yarn.     The  jacket  was  not  large  enough  to  meet! 
around  the  smallest  of  us,  altl  ough  reduced  to  mere  skeletons! 


./ 


-».»- 


OR    DAUTMOOR    PRISON. 


23 


by  such  continued  fasting  ;  the  sleeves  came  about  half  way 
down  the  arm,  and  the  hand  stuck  out  like  a  spade  ;  the  waist* 
coat  was  short — it  would  not  meet  before,  nor  down  to  the  pan- 
taloons— thus  leaving  a  space  between  of  three  or  four  inches; 
the  pantaloons,  which  were  as  tight  as  our  skin  >tself,  came 
down  to  the  middle  of  the  shin.  The  shoes,  which  was  the 
pedestal  for  all  the  ornaments  above,  were  made  of  list,  inter- 
woven and  fasten&d  to  pieces  of  wood  an  inch  and  a  half  thick. 
The  figure  we  made  in  this  dress  was  no  common  one. 
"  Sptdatum  adniis.si  risum  teneatia  amid  ?  " — iloR.  A.  P. 

"  My  friends,  were  you  admitted  to  see  this  sij^ht,  could  you 
keep  from  laughing  ?  "  When  you  see  us  tackled,  and  put 
upon  runners — skeletons  as  we  were. 

By  the  regulations  handed  us,  we  also  found  that  the  Board 
allowed  a  sweeper  to  every  hundred  men,  to  sweep  and  keep, 
clean  the  prison,  who  was  to  be  taken  from  among  the  prison- 
ers, and  allowed  by  the  government  three  pence  per  day  ;  and 
one  out  of  every  two  hundred  was  allowed  four  pence  half- 
penny a  day  for  cooking.  In  like  manner,  a  barber  had  three 
pence ;  and  the  nurses  in  the  hospital,  six  pence  a  day.  All 
these  offices  were  occupied  by  Frenchmen,  as  was  also  the 
employments  in  the  mechanic  arts  at  six  pence  per  day. 

During  this  month  great  numbers  died  of  the  small-pox,  and 
some  of  other  diseases.  Several  entered  the  king's  sei  >  ice. 
Suspicions  had  arisen,  that  several  taken  in  arms  against  Great 
Britain,  were  British  subjects  ;  they  were  consequently  taken 
out,  and  charged  with  having  committed  high  treason.  That 
they  were  taken  in  arms  against  Great  Britain,  was  not  de- 
nied ;  but  that  they  were  her  subjects,  which  was  the  most 
essential  part  of  the  charge,  could  not  be  proved  \  they  were 
consequently  acquitted,  and  remanded  to  prison. 

We  had  but  one  clear  day  during  the  whole  month  of  Au- 
gust. 

September  commenced,  and  we  remained  in  the  situation 
just  described.     The  prisoners  continued  very  sickly. 

Men,  otherwise  commonly  honest,  when  reduced  to  extreme 
necessity,  naturally  resort  to  the  commission  of  crimes.  It  is 
a  maxim  strikingly  true,  that  "hunger  will  break  through  a 
stone  wall ;  "  and  it  is  equally  true,  that  it  will  break  through 
all  moral  obligation.  Honesty  and  integrity  are  but  mere  chi- 
meras in  dire  necessity.  Such  was  our  situation,  that  it  re- 
sembled more  a  state  of  nature  than  a  civilized  society.    Petty 


\^ 


*.**.i4i|^*irf*(k.  » 


fp 


24 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


1 


m:' 


I! 


larcenies  were  daily  committed  among  the  prisoners  ;  brothers 
and  the  most  intimate  friends  stealing  from  each  other.  To 
provide  a  remedy  against  this  evil,  we  appointed  a  legislative 
body,  to  form  a  code  of  laws  for  the  punishment  of  all  such 
misdemeanors.  A  tribunal  was  also  formed  to  try  and  convict 
all  criminals  according  to  law  and  evidence.  Many  were  tried, 
found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  receive  twenty-four  lashes 
equally  as  severe  as  is  given  at  the  gangway  of  a  man-of-war 
ship. 

To  show  the  force  of  habit,  though  it  is  u  vicious  one,  we 
will  give  the  reader  a  striking  example.  Some  of  the  prison- 
ers  were  so  attached  *o  chewing  tobacco,  that  they  sold  all  their 
day's  allowance  of  beef  to  the  French  at  the  gate,  to  purchase 
one  chew.  They  sometimes  sold  this  allovvf*nce  to  buy  soap 
enough  to  wash  one  shirt,  but  this  was  only  enduring  one  evil 
to  remedy  a  worse. 

By  letters  received  from  our  fellow-prisoners  on  board  the 
Crowned  Prince,  and  the  Nassau,  prison  ships  at  Chatham,  we 
received  information  that  the  Americans  were  distributed 
among  the  French  prisoners  on  board  the  several  different 
ships  at  that  place,  and  very  severely  used ;  that  they  had 
vainly  addressed  Mr.  Beasley,  and  that  several  had  died  and 
numbers  entered  the  British  service. 

By  letteis  received  from  Stapleton,  we  were  informed  of  the 
particulars  of  their  march  from  Plymouth,  which  we  promised 
to  give  the  reader  in  a  former  part  of  this  work.  The  reader 
will  remember,  that  at  the  commencement  of  their  journey, 
they  were  allowed  a  shilling  a  day  for  traveling  expenses,  and 
on  their  way,  they  had  to  pay  three  pence  a  night  to  lodge  in 
a  barn,  or  some  public  building,  on  straw.  As  they  were  al- 
lowed a  shilling  only,  this  took  one-quarter  of  the  whole. 
With  much  ado  they  reached  Stapleton  ;  they  found  the  prison 
at  that  place  well  constructed  for  the  convenience  of  the  pris- 
oners, within  a  short  distance  of  the  city  of  Bristol ;  which  is 
the  third  city  in  England,  and  situated  in  Somersetshiie,  at 
the  conflux  of  the  river  Avon,  with  the  small  stream  of  the 
Frooin,  about  ten  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Severn  ;  these, 
and  several  other  small  tributary  streams,  running  through  a 
fertile  country,  bring  into  market  all  kinds  of  provisions  and 
fruits  common  to  the  country,  which  are  sold  at  a  much  cheaper 
rate  than  ut  most  other  places  in  the  kingdom.  From  these 
sources,  the  market  at  Stapleton,  which  is  kept  every  day  at 


xl 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON.. 


25 


the  prison,  is  supplied  with  all  kinds  of  market  produce.  On 
their  arrival  they  found  five  thousand  French  prisoners. 
There  are  three  prisons  enclosed  and  garrisoned  in  the  same 
manner  as  those  at  Dartmoor ;  they  were  distributed  among 
the  French  prisoners  in  the  differeni  prisons.  They  had  also 
written  to  Mr.  Beasley  several  times,  and  informed  him,  that 
their  situation  was  bad,  although  much  better  th&n  that  at 
Dartmoor,  and  required  his  attention.  But  he  was  determined 
to  take  no  notice.  They  therefore  concluded,  that  no  arrange- 
ment was  to  be  made  for  their  exchange,  or  that  any  assistance 
was  to  be  offered  from  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
made  necessity  an  excuse  for  entering  the  service  of  the  ene- 
my of  their  country  ;  which  many  did  at  that  place. 

How  far  this  is  a  crime,  when  we  consider  the  quo  ammo  f 
I  shall  take  this  opportunity  to  show  what  is  the  custom  of  na- 
tions, and  what  appears  to  be  the  law  of  nature.  It  is  said, 
"  If  a  '  erson  be  under  circumstances  of  actual  force  and  con- 
straint, through  a  well-grounded  apprehension  of  injury  to  his 
life  or  person,  this  fear,  or  compulsion,  will  excuse  his  even 
joining  with  either  rebels  or  enemies  in  the  kingdom,  provided 
he  leaves  them  whenever  he  hath  a  safe  opportunity."  v, 

Now  to  return  to  Dartmoor.  At  a  time  when  the  prisoners 
had  despaired  of  any  relief,  and  began  to  reconcile  themselves 
to  their  hard  fate,  they  were  very  agreeably  surprised  to  hear 
that  Mr.  Reuben  G.  Beasley  had  condescended  to  visit  them» 
and  then  waited  at  the  gate  for  admittance.  The  idea,  that 
their  deliverer  had  come,  diffused  a  general  joy  through  the 
whole  prison,  and  "  lighted  up  a  smile  in  the  aspect  of  woe." 
The  soldiers  and  guards  were  ordered  into  the  prison,  and 
turned  out  every  man,  both  sick  and  well ;  overhauled  the 
hammocks,  swept  the  prison,  and  opened  the  window-shutters  : 
all  filth  was  removed  and  every  thing  made  clean,  for  the  first 
time  since  our  arrival.  The  guards  were  then  stationed  at 
the  door,  to  prevent  any  prisoner  from  going  in,  to  have  any 
communication  with  the  agent:  we  were  t^ '.J,  that  no  man 
could  speak  to  him,  or  have  any  communication  with  him 
whatever.  At  three  o'clock,  the  entrance  of  Mr.  Beasley  was 
announced  by  the  turnkeys.  We  arranged  ourselves  in  the 
yard,  in  anxious  expectation  of  the  glad  tidings  he  might  bring. 
He  appeared,  attended  with  his  clerks,  the  clerks  of  the  prison 
a:  id  a  very  uumerous  train  of  soldiers.  As  he  entered  the 
yard  of  the  prison,  we  presented  a  frightful  appearance,  in  our 

3 


26 


THE    PBISON£RS     MEMOIRS, 


fi 


yellow  uniform,  wooden  shod,  and  meager,  lantern-jaws.  He 
felt  the  sight,  and  seemed  much  surprised  at  the  group.  We 
stood  in  silent  expectation  ;  he  moved  along  to  the  prison ; 
but  how  were  our  feelings  damped  at  this  moment !  when  we 
expected  from  him  the  language  of  consolation  and  relief,  he 
only  uttered,  in  a  careless  tone  to  his  clerks,  <'  that  he  did  not 
think  that  the  number  had  been  so  great !  " 

He  entered,  and  cast  his  eyes  around  the  cold  wet  walls  of 
the  prison,  and  seemed  to  say,  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoulders, 
"  I  am  glad  that  it  is  not  I  that  is  to  live  here.''  When  he 
returned,  w^  were  determined  to  have  some  conversation  with 
him.  We  therefore  collected  round  him,  demanded  what  ar- 
rangements  were  made  for  our  relief,  whether  we  must  expect 
to  remain  in  our  present  condition  ?  Telling  him,  that  if  we 
must,  that  we  could  not  long  survive ;  and  presenting  him 
with  a  list  of  names  of  those  who  had  already  entered  the 
king's  service  ;  and  telling  him  all  the  particulars  of  our  dis- 
tress. He  then  oponed  his  mouth,  and  said,  he  had  no  power 
to  do  any  thing,  nor  any  funds  to  do  with  ;  but  he  would  do 
his  endeavor.  We  asked  him  the  cause  of  so  great  a  differ- 
ence in  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners  here  and  at  Halifax  ? 
There  they  had  all  the  necessaries  and  conveniences  of  life  ; 
here  we  had  none  of  them.  We  asked  him  to  whom  we  should 
apply  for  relief  in  future?  We  told  him  we  had  been  to  great 
expense,  heretofore,  and  much  trouble,  in  conveying  letters  to 
him,  while  he  had  noi  thought  fit  to  answer.  He  said  the  ex- 
change of  prisoners  was  stopped  for  the  present  year,  and  that 
we  could  not  expect  to  have  our  condition  altered.  With  these 
unwelcome  observations,  he  went  immediately  out  of  the  gf  .3s, 
and  left  us  to  all  the  wretchedness  of  despair. 

We  returned  into  the  prison,  lamenting  our  fate.  Some 
cursed  the  day  they  were  born  ;  some,  the  day  of  their  cap- 
tivity ;  some  attributed  all  their  sufferings  to  the  inattention  of 
the  Agent,  and  others,  to  the  government  of  the  United  States. 
We  retired  to  our  hammocks,  and  gave  vent  to  our  feelings  in 
sighs  and  tears. 

The  *'iOUghtthat  we  must  forego  all  the  endearments  of  life, 
and  perish  together,  in  a  foreign  country,  among  our  enemies, 
was  too  munh  for  our  feelings  to  bear.  The  groans  of  the  dis- 
consolate and  sick  filled  the  whole  prison.  Our  Agent  not 
empowered  to  act,  and  without  funds !  We  had  now  only  to 
look  to  heaven,  whose  will  it  was  to  bring  us  to  this  state,  and 
through  whose  mercy  alone  we  could  hope  to  find  relief. 


OR   DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


27 


The  winter  was  fast  approaching,  and  the  cold  upon  this 
mountain  was  very  severe.  The  small-pox  still  continued, 
and  the  measles  had  got  among  us,  and  great  numbers  were 
sick  with  both  diseases.  The  next  day,  conceiving  they  had 
no  other  alternative,  a  great  number  entered  the  British  ser- 
vice ;  rather  hazarding  the  chance  of  escape,  and  censure  of 
their  country,  than  to  trust  life  to  the  perils  of  this  prison. 

Although  I  am  a  little  before  some  part  of  my  story,  I  must 
not  forget  to  mention,  that  about  the  middle  of  September,  an- 
other draft  was  taken  from  the  Hector,  now  at  Hamoaze,  near 
Plymouth ;  among  which  were  the  crew  of  the  United  States' 
brig  Argus,  taken  by  the  Pelican.  One  Robinson,  who  had 
belonged  to  the  Argus,  had  declared,  thai  several  of  the  crew 
of  that  vessel  were  British  subjects.  And  immediately  seven- 
teen, whom  he  pointed  out,  were  taken  and  conveyed  on  board 
the  receiving  ship,  St.  Salvador,  and  put  into  close  confine- 
ment, there  to  await  their  trial  and  execution,  should  they  be 
found  guilty.  The  boatswain,  and  a  number  of  others,  wound- 
ed* in  the  action,  were  conveyed  to  the  hospital,  in  Mill-prison 
at  Plymouth. 

At  the  end  of  this  month  a  great  number  had  died,  and 
numbers  down  with  all  complaints,  prevalent  in  crowded 
ciamps  or  prisons.     The  weather  much  like  the  month  before. 

By  letters,  received  the  tenth  of  October,  from  Chatham  and 
Stapleton,  we  were  informed,  that  Mr.  Beasley  had  visited 
them,  and  his  conduct  and  language  at  those  places  were  the 
same  as  at  this  depot.  By  the  letters  from  Chatham,  we  had 
an  account  of  eighteen  making  their  escape,  by  cutting  a  hole 
through  the  side  of  the  Crown  Prince,  at  that  place ;  that  after- 
wards the  guard  were  increased  and  more  vigilant. 

On  the  sixteenth,  Capt.  Cotgrave  gave  orders,  by  directiouo 
of  the  Transport  Board,  to  have  all  these  outcast  Frenchmen 
in  No.  4  collected.  This  took  four  hundred  and  thirty-six 
from  the  prison,  and  much  relieved  us.  ^.  . 

Before  1  proceed  with  the  remainder  of  my  story,  I  can- 
not  but  here  observe  the  strange  effect  habit  and  corruption 
havf  in  changing  our  common  nature.  They  had  been  many 
of  them  ten  years  in  this  prison  in  a  state  of  perfect  nudity, 
and  had  been  so  for  many  years ;  had  slept  upon  the  bare 
stone-floor  without  covering  for  many  years,  till  the  flesh  had 
acQuired  a  sort  of  hardness,  like  the  stones  themselves. 

This  was  the  effect  of  gambling,  which  had  acquired  a 


28 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


<  ; 


greater  power  over  them  than  hunger  or  nakedness.  When- 
ever they  were  supplied  with  clothing,  they  never  put  them 
on,  but  turned  to  gambling,  till  they  had  lost  the  whole.  They 
had  often  been  supplied  by  their  countrymen  in  the  other  prij- 
ons,  with  hammocks,  beds,  and  clothing :  but  they  no.  sooner 
got  possession  of  them,  than  they  went  to  the  grating  of  the 
other  prisons,  and  sold  them,  and  gambled  the  whole  away.  It 
is  difficult  for  the  mind  to  conceive,  how  human  beings  could 
be  possessed  of  fewer  virtues  or  more  vices;  or  how  they 
could  any  further  change  their  common  nature  to  a  bestial 
one  without  the  assistance  of  a  Supreme  Being.  It  is  a  re- 
mukable  fact,  that  these  men  (if  they  yet  deserve  the  name) 
were  more  healthy,  though  stark  naked  winter  and  summer 
for  ten  years,  than  any  prisoners  at  this  depot ;  though  to  the 
number  of  nine  thousand. 

The  French  prisoners  never  received  any  assistance  from 
the  French  government,  but  depended  entirely  on  the  British. 
Though  I  cannot  praise  the  general  acts  of  the  latter  govern- 
ment, nor  am  I  disposed  to  flatter;  yet  they  did  a  humane  act 
which  certainly  deserves  credit.  They  took  these  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  Frenchmen  out  of  this  prison,  clothed  them 
well,  and  put  them  on  board  a  prison-ship  at  Plymouth,  separ- 
ate from  all  other  men,  except  their  guards,  who  carefully 
watched  them,  and  prevented  them  from  disposing  of  their 
clothes,  and  kept  them  decent  during  the  remainder  of  their 
captivity. 

In  the  six  prisons,  occupied  by  the  French  prisoners,  is  car- 
ried on  almost  every  branch  of  the  mechanic  arts.  They  re- 
semble little  towns,  being  mostly  soldiers ;  every  man  has  his 
separate  occupation  ;  his  work-shop,  his  store-house,  his  coffee- 
house, his  eating-house,  &c.,  &c. ;  he  is  employed  in  some 
business  or  other. 

There  are  many  gentlemen  of  large  fortunes  here,  who 
having  broke  their  parole,  were  committed  to  close  confine- 
ment. These  were  able  to  support  themselves  in  a  genteel 
manner ;  though  they  were  prisoners,  they  drew  upon  their 
bankers  in  other  parts  of  Europe. 

They  manufactured  shoes,  hats,  hair  and  bone-wovk.  They 
likewise,  at  one  time,  carried  on  a  very  lucrative  branch  of 
manufactory.  They  forged  notes  on  the  Bank  of  England,  to 
the  amount  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds  sterling; 
and  made  so  perfect  an  imitation,  that  the  cashier  £ould  not 


discover  the  forgery ;  and  very  much  doubted  the  possibility 
of  such  imitation. 

They  also  carried  on  the  coining  of  silver,  to  a  very  consid- 
erable advantage  ;  they  had  men  constantly  employed  outside 
of  the  yard,  to  collect  all  the  Spanish  dollars  they  could,  and 
bring  into  prison.  Out  of  every  dollar  they  made  eight 
smooth  English  shillings ;  equally  as  heavy,  and  passed  as 
well  as  any  in  the  kingdom. 

Whether  they  are  constituted  by  nature  to  endure  hardships, 
or  so  long  confinement  has  got  them  wonted  to  live  in  prisons, 
I  will  not  venture  to  say  ;  but  they  really  seem  easy  under  it, 
live  well,  and  make  money  to  lay  up. 

They  drink,  sing  and  dance,  talk  of  their  women  in  the 
day-time,  and,  like  Horace,  dream  of  them  at  night ;  but  I 
have  not  heard  of  any  issue  by  this  visionary  connexion.  But 
the  :A.mericans  have  not  that  careless  volatility,  like  the  cockle 
in  the  fable,  to  sing  and  dance  when  their  house  is  on  fire  over 
them. 

When  anyone  has  committed  a*  crime,  or  becomes  a  nui- 
sance among  them,  he  is  condemned,  and  sent  to  No.  4,  to  re- 
main during  his  captivity;  so  the  Americans  must  dwell 
among  the  damned. 

On  the  twenty-eighth,  a  large  corps  of  French  prisoners, 
taken  at  the  battle  near  St.  Sebastian,  in  Spain,  arrived  at  this 
depot,  and  took  their  abode  among  the  other  Frenchmen.  At 
this  time,  a  very  mortal  distemper  prevailed  among  the  French 
prisoners,  that  carried  off  eight  or  ten  every  day. 

When  any  one  dies  in  the  hospital,  his  body  is  removed  to 
the  dead-house,  a  place  made  for  that  purpose ;  after  being 
stripped  of  his  clothes,  shirt  and  all,  (which  go  to  the  govern- 
ment, or  the  nurse  of  the  deceased,)  the  body  is  then  opened, 
to  learn  the  riature  of  the  disease ;  it  is  afterwards,  quite  nak- 
ed, put  into  a  coarse  shell,  made  of  rough  pine  boards,  and  re- 
mains in  the  dead-house  for  several  days,  till  a  number  is  col- 
lected in  the  same  manner:  when  a  sufficient  number  is 
heaped  together  to  call  their  attention,  a  large  hole  is  dug  back 
of  the  prison,  and  all  thrown  in  together,  without  form  or  cere- 
mony. 

The  hospital  department  consists  of  a  surgeon,  t^vo  assist- 
ants, and  as  many  male  nurses  as  are  necessary.  Every 
morning,  at  nine  o'clock,  orders  are  given,  by  the  ringing  of 
bells,  that  every  prisoner,  wanting  relief  or  medical  aid,  must 

3* 


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w 


III! 


If 

i 

.,it 

t. 

M 

Iv 

! 

f 

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y 

1 
1 
1 

30 


THE    prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


repair  to  the  hospital  to  be  examined,  and  receive  prescriptions ; 
he  then  returns  to  the  prison,  where  he  remains  till  carried  in 
again. 

The  sickness  among  the  Americans  somewhat  abated  the 
latter  end  of  this  month.  Many  entered  the  king's  service. 
As  the  recruiting  officers  receive  a  premium  ^n  every  soldier 
they  enlist  for  his  majesty,  they  used  every  inducement  in 
their  power.  An  officer  belonging  to  a  Dutch  regiment, 
thought  it  a  good  opportunity  to  mock  de  gildf,  entered  the  yard, 
and  began  to  solicit  men  to  enlist  into  the  regiments  to  go 
against  the  United  States ;  but  the  Americans  took  this  the 
greatest  insult,  that  such  a  booby  should  think  of  getting  tliem 
to  fight  against  their  country  ;  they  soon  hustled  Mynheer  out 
of  the  yard,  and  frustrated  all  his  hopes  of  gain. 

The  majority  of  the  prisoners  used  every  means  in  their 
power  to  prevent  our  countrymen  from  entering  the  enemy's 
service.  We  often,  on  discovering  the  intention  of  any  one  to 
enlist  into  their  service,  fastened  him  up  to  the  grating  and 
flogged  him  severely,  and  threatened  to  despatch  them  secret- 
ly if  they  did  not  desist ;  but  attempts  were  vain ;  they  justi- 
fied themselves  on  the  plea  of  self-preservation ;  that  there 
was  a  possibility  of  escaping  and  saving  their  lives ;  and  if 
detected  by  their  country,  their  death  was  distant,  but  here  it 
was  speedy  and  certain. 

Capt.  Cotgrave,  perceiving  the  great  exertions  that  were 
made  to  prevent  any  entering  his  majesty's  service,  adopted  a 
plan  to  encourage  it.  When  any  one  was  known  to  be  dis- 
posed that  way,  he  would  send  him  a  line,  and  invite  him  to 
come  to  the  guard-house,  where  the  other  prisoners  could  have 
no  communication  with  him  :  here  he  was  kept  till  a  number 
sufficient  for  a  draft  was  collected,  then  sent  to  Plymouth,  and 
put  on  board  a  receiving  ship,  and  received  their  bounty. 
About  one  draft  a  month  commonly  took  place. 

November. — The  weather  is  much  similar  to  that  of  the 
State  of  New  York  at  the  same  season  ;  rain,  snow,  and  hail, 
almost  every  day  ;  the  prisoners  without  stockings,  and  many 
had  been  so  unthoughtful  of  the  future  as  to  sell  their  jackets 
to  buy  food ;  and  the  whole  ^ress  allowed  them  was  no  more 
than  sufficient  in  the  most  clement  season,  the  prisons  being 
always  damp,  and  the  weather  very  rainy.  We  were  allowed 
no  fuel ;  some  had  also  sold  their  hammocks,  blankets,  and 
beds,  to  the  French.     These  thoughtless  wretches  were  now 


OR    DABTMOOR   PRISON. 


31 


obliged  to  sleep,  or  rather  lie,  upon  the  stones  the  whole  night, 
and  when  there  happened  a  fine  day,  which  was  seldom,  it 
was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  the  guards  could  rouse  them 
from  this  stupor,  and  get  them  into  the  yard.  We  dreaded  the 
winter. 

We  received  letters  trom  our  fellow-prisoners  at  other  pris- 
ons, informing  us  that  they  had  applied  to  Mr.  Beasley,  and 
advising  us  to  do  the  same,  which  we  had  already  done ;  they 
wished  to  be  informed  of  our  situation ;  this  was  done  in 
poetry. 

The  time  had  now  expired  for  relieving  the  present  guard  ; 
this  being  done,  its  place  was  supplied  by  a  Scotch  regiment. 
Sympathy  glowed  in  the  minds  of  these  gallant  fellows;  no 
nobler  act  has  nature  done  than  form  the  heart  that  feels  for* 
others'  woes.  They  felt  for  ours,  and  though  enemies,  at  the 
peril  of  life  relieved  them  ;  it  was  an  act  that  superior  beings 
might  behold  with  admiration.  Touched  with  this  tie  of  na- 
ture,  when  ordered  to  bring  out  every  prisoner  into  the  yard, 
sick  or  naked,  they  often  pitied  him,  gave  him  some  relief,  and 
left  him  behind ;  though  ordered  to  cut  him  down  or  run  him 
through,  if  he  offered  to  remain. 

They  supplied  us  with  late  papers,  and  gave  us  all  the  ac- 
count they  could  of  the  affairs  in  America.  They  cheered  us 
with  the  agreeable  '^ccount  of  the  Essex,  and  her  success  in 
the  South  Seas :  we  had  friends  that  pitied  us,  though  they 
could  not  greatly  relieve  us. 

About  this  time  a  few  prisoners  from  Plymouth,  lately  cap- 
tured, and  lately  from  the  States,  arrived  at  this  depot.  ' 

The  news  they  bring  of  the  success  of  the  American  arms, 
animates  every  soul,  and  for  a  moment  we  forgot  our  troubles. 
By  them  the  account  of  the  Boxer  and  Enterprise,  the  com- 
plete victory  of  Commodore  Perry  on  Lake  Erie  is  given  us, 
but  no  hope  of  exchange  or  prospect  of  peace.  No  alteration 
in  our  treatment  by  government ;  the  prisoners  not  permitted 
out  of  yard  No.  4.  The  French  go  any  where  through  the 
several  prinons  ;  go  to  market,  but  the  Americans  not  permit- 
ted to.  The  government  grew  more  strict  in  their  enlistments ; 
they  would  receive  none  but  regularly  bred  sailors,  and  no  in- 
valids. 

At  the  latter  end  of  this  month  a  great  number  of  prisoners, 
taken  under  the  American  flag,  claimed  a  release  from  con- 
finement, and  showed  that  they  owed  their  allegiance  by  birth 


32 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


to  powers  in  alliance  with  Great  Britain.     To  ilolland,  Swe- 
den, and  other  places,  and  are  released  on  account  of  their  | 
neutrality.  ^ 

Weather  very  cold  all  the  month.  The  prisoners  without  I 
shoes  or  clothes,  obliged  to  keep  their  hammock.  Fewer  | 
deaths  than  the  month  before.     Yard  covered  with  snow. 

December. — Cold  increasing.  Prisoners  in  despair.  Capt. 
Cotgrave  ordered  the  prisoners  to  turn  out  every  morning  at  j 
the  hour  of  nine,  and  stand  in  the  yard  till  the  guards  counted  | 
them  ;  this  generally  took  more  than  an  hour.  P«Iany  of  the 
prisoners  were  without  stockings,  and  some  without  shoes,  and 
many  without  jackets.  They  cut  up  their  blankets  to  wrap  up 
their  feet  and  legs,  that  they  might  be  able  to  endure  the  cold 
and  snow  while  they  were  going  through  this  ceremony.  We 
complained  to  the  captain  of  this  practice,  and  told  him  it  was  too 
severe  for  the  prisoners  to  endure ;  he  said  it  was  his  orders, 
and  as  agent  he  must  obey  them.  We  reminded  him  of  seve. 
ral  instances  that  must  shock  the  heart  of  every  feeling  man, 
that  he  himself  was  knowing  to  the  day  before.  Several  of 
these  naked  men,  chilled,  and  benumbed  with  cold,  and  bein^ 
half  starved,  fell  down  lifeless  in  his  presence,  and  in  presence 
of  the  guards  and  turnkeys.  This  was  a  cruelty  which  ex- 
ceeded murder  in  any  shape  whatever  ;  to  expose  the  naked 
helpless  prisoner  to  perish  in  the  pitiless  blast  of  this  bleak 
mountain,  was  an  act  that  made  our  hearts  recoil  with  horror. 

We  remonstrated  with  the  infamous  author,  but  all  our  sup- 
plications and  remonstrances  were  in  vain  ;  the  wretch  was 
inexorable ;  his  feelings  had  become  callous  by  continuing  so 
long  among  the  sufferings  of  the  French  prisoners.  After 
these  men  fell  down  in  the  yard,  they  were  taken  up  and  car- 
ried to  the  hospital,  and  with  some  difficulty  were  restored  to 
life  again ;  they  were  then  immediately  sent  back  to  prison, 
there  to  lie  on  the  stone  floor  without  bed  or  covering. 

At  this  treatment  1  presume  the  reader  will  not  so  much 
wonder  that  so  many  died,  as  he  will  that  any  could  live 
at  all. 

The  name  of  Isaac  Cotgrave,  agent  at  Dartmoor,  of  cruel 
memory,  will  ever  be  engraven,  in  odious  characters,  on  the 
mind  of  every  American  who  witnessed  his  unparalleled 
cruelty. 

On  the  •22d  of  this  month  the  iron  sceptre  was  wrested  from 
his  hand,  and  placed  beyond  his  reach.     A  new  agent,  Capt. 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


Thos.  G.  Shortland,  at  this  time  superseded  Cotgrave.  Short- 
land  was  a  man  whose  feelings  had  not  yet  grown  callous  by 
being  familiarized  with  human  misery,  and  at  his  first  arrival 
I  he  was  shocked  at  the  scenes  of  our  misery,  which  presented 
I  themselves  in  every  shape  before  him ;  touched  with  compas. 
sion,  he  could  not  continue  the  cruel  practice  of  counting  over 
I  the  prisoners  every  morning  in  the  yard.  He  countermanded 
the  order  which  his  predecessor  pretended  to  have  been  com- 
manded to  put  in  force.  He  declared  to  us  that  he  would  do 
all  in  his  power  to  procure  us  some  relief  from  his  govern- 
ment ;  that  he  himself  would  do  all  he  could  in  his  situation 
as  agent,  to  assist  us ;  he  very  politely  and  kindly  offered  to 
forward  to  Mr.  Beasley,  or  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
any  communication  or  petition  which  might  procure  us  any  re- 
lief. He  stated  in  feeling  terms  to  the  Board  of  Transport  the 
real  condition  of  the  American  prisoners.  He  ordered  the 
doctors^  assistants  to  visit  the  persons  daily,  and  to  remove  to 
the  hospital  all  the  sick  who  had  before  been  refused  admit- 
tance. He  granted  permission  for  two  of  the  prisoners  to 
attend  the  market  each  day,  and  purchase  such  little  neces- 
sary articles  as  they  were  able,  such  as  soap,  potatoes,  tn« 
bacco,  &c. 

These  relaxations  in  the  morning  of  his  power  seemed  to 
promise  a  bright  day  ;  but  the  noon  began  to  grow  a  little  ob- 
scure, and,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  at  last  went  down  in  blood, 
and  lefl  obscure  the  bright  traits  of  the  morning. 

The  weather  was  incredibly  cold  upon  this  mountain  ;  the 
moor,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  extend,  was  covered  with  frost 
and  snow  ;  the  prison  walls,  by  being  continually  damp,  had 
become  like  solid  ice,  and  the  prisoners  obliged  to  keep  their 
hammocks,  for  being  alloyed  no  fire,  had  no  other  means  to 
keep  themselves  warm.  v>.  -»*  ' 

The  rigor  of  treatment  seemed  somewhat  relaxed  ;  for  our 
friendly  officers  and  Scotch  guards  gave  us  as  much  relief  and 
consolation  as  their  station  would  permit,  and  we  endeavored 
to  cultivate  their  friendship. 

According  to  Capt.  Shortland's  advice,  and  our  own  neces- 
sities, we  again  made  application  to  Mr.  "Beasley.  In  this  let- 
ter Wo  informed  him  that  we  were  fully  of  opinion  that  the 
United  States  would  sanction  any  reasonable  overtures  he 
should  make  to  prevent  her  citizens  from  starving  or  perishing 
for  want  in  a  foreign  prison ;  that  his  being  agent  for  the 


JS-;^ 


34 


TH£  PRISONEBS     MEMOIRS, 


r/ 


United  States  was  sufficient  power,  and  he  had  -a  right  to| 
pledge  the  credit  of  the  United  States,  which  was  amply  suffi- 
cient to  procure  any  sum  requisite  for  our  relief.  We  farther! 
stated,  in  the  most  unequivocal  terms,  that  unless  some  reliefl 
was  given  us  soon,  that  the  prisoners  had  come  to  a  unanimous! 
and  final  determination  to  offer  our  services  en  masse  to  the! 
British  government,  and  at  the  same  time  transmit  to  the! 
United  States  a  copy  of  all  letters  from  us  to  him,  and  setl 
forth  to  Congress  all  our  reasons  for  so  doing,  which  would! 
most  undoubtedly  cast  all  the  blame  on  him. 

This  month  ended  with  increased  cold,  and  snow  falling! 
daily.  The  prisoners  did  not  go  out  of  their  hammocks,  only[ 
at  dinner,  which  was  the  only  meal  ihey  had. 

Janttaryy  1814. — The  year  commences  with  as  cold  weatherl 
as  we  ever  experienced  in  the  cit^  of  New  York  ;  the  buckets 
in  the  prison,  in  the  short  space  of  four  hours,  froze  ten  or 
twelve  quarts  to  a  solid,  and  the  prisoners  must  inevitably  have! 
frozen,  were  not  the  hammocks  placed  so  near  together  as  to| 
communicate  the  animal  heat  from  one  man  to  another. 

The  running  stream  that  supplied  the  prison  froze  solid,  f^ndl 
the  weather  was  allowed  to  be  colder  than  it  had  been  for  fiHy  | 
years  before. 

On  the  1st  the  snow  was  two  feet  on  the  level,  and  began  to  | 
snow  again ;  the  cold  somewhat  abated,  and  it  continued  snow- 
ing the  greater  part  of  the  time  till  the  nineteenth  ;  it  had  now  I 
got  to  be  four  feet  on  the  level,  &nd  the  drifls  in  the  yards  as 
high  as  the  prison  walls  (fifteen  feet),  the  water  all  frozen,  and 
the  prisoners  obliged  to  eat  snow  for  drink.  The  guards  were 
all  obliged  to  leave  the  walls  and  retire  to  the  guard-house ; 
no  sentry  on  duty  except  in  the  barracks. 

At  midnight ;  this  dreary  night,  eight  prisoners,  thinking  to 
take  advantage  of  the  .night  to  make  their  escape,  as  no  sen- 
;  tries  were  in  sight,  formed  a  ladder,  and  with  it  ascended  and 
■  descended  the  first  wall  directly  against  the  guard-house,  and 
;  in  ascending  the  second,  the  soldiers  in  the  guard-house  dis- 
covered them,  and  apprehended  seven  ;  the  eighth  got  quite 
over  the  wall,  and  made  his  escape.     These  seven  were  taken 
to  the  guard-house  and  there  put  into  the  black-hole,  which  is 
the  place  for  prisoners  that  attempt  to  make  their  escape :  the 
weather  extremely  cold,  was  likely  to  prove  their  last.     But 
the  fiflh  day  they  were  removed  to  the  cachot,  and  remained 
on  two-thirds  allowance,  sleeping  on  straw  for  ten  days.     The 


OB   DABTMOOR   PRISON. 


85 


prisoners,  soldiers,  and  officers,  were  now  furnished  with  salt 
provisions,  which  are  always  kept  at  the  prison  against  any 
emergency  of  this  kind.  Every  man  upon  the  mountain  was 
now  much  alarmed,  as  only  ten  days'  stock  of  provisiql^  was 
in  reserve  on  the  mountain,  and  there  were  now  upwOT^s  of 
nine  thousand  French  and  American  prisoners,  besides  fiAeen 
hundred  soldiers  and  officers,  doctors,  and  a  numerous  train  of 
turnkeys. 


LI  N  ES, 

BY  AN  AMERICAN  PKISONER. 

On  the  14th  day  of  January, 
Tbia  night  ordained  by  Fate, 

For  eight  poor  Yankee  sailors 
To  try  for  their  encupe. 

Seven  of  them  detected  were. 
And  in  the  guard- house  lay  ; 

The  eighth  resolved  on  liberty, 
By  chance  he  got  away. 

The  night,  being  dark  and  dreary, 

And  be  had  far  to  go, 
So  this  poor  Yuukeu  sailor 

Got  hobbled  in  the  snuw. 

Discovered  by  his  enemies. 
That  forced  him  buck  ugain. 

Within  the  walls  of  Dartmoor, 
Oppressed  with  cold  and  pain. 

Shortland,  bred  a  seaman. 
In  Neptune's  school  was  taught ; 

His  heart  compressed  with  pity, 
JVIethinks  I  read  his  thought — 

Saying,  go  into  the  guard-house, 
And  set  those  eight  men  free, 

I'll  show  the  sons  of  liberty 
There's  honor  still  in  me. 


:«V^«::*»,ViCrCtiif 


■J*    (•vV 


ii:-T-^)M 


The  back  house  was  at  some  distance,  and  the  snow  drilled 
in  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  deep ;  this  form6d  an  impassable 
barrier ;  but  Capt.  Shortland,  at  the  head  of  two  hundred 
French  prisoners,  all  the  horse  of  the  garrison,  and  clerks, 
turnkeys,  &c.,  after  working  one  whole  day,  shovelled  a  pas- 
sage sufficient  for  wagons  to  pass.  For  should  the  weather 
continue  as  cold  as  it  then  was,  all  communication  between 


36 


THB    PRISONKRS'    MEMOIRS, 


that  place  and  Plymouth,  whence  the  provisions  were  brought, 
being  totally  stopped  by  the  great  depth  of  snow,  they  were  in 
danger  of  starving.  On  the  twenty-fiflh  the  weather  began  to| 
moderate  and  the  snow  began  to  dissolve. 

The  eighth  man,  who  made  his  escape,  had  wandered  over! 
the  moor,  through  the  deep  snow,  till  by  chance  he  came  to  a 
single  hut  on  the  moor;  the  peasants  suspected  him  to  be  a 
prisoner,  as  no  person  could  travel  in  such  tedious  weather, 
and  after  examining  him  some  time,  he  confessed  he  had  made| 
his  escape  from  prison.     They  brought  him  back,  and  he  re- 
ceived   the  same  sentence  as  his  unsuccessful  companions.  I 
During  his  absence,  all  the  officers  and  prisoners  were  much 
concerned  at  the  miserable  fate  they  were  confident  he  mu9* 
have  shared,  as  it  was  impossible  for  him  long  to  live,  for  if  ue 
survived  the  storm,  he   must  starve  in  a  few  days:    but  it| 
seemed  he  had  reached  the  hut  on  the  .second  day,  without  be- 
ing frozen  in  any  part.     The  officers  and  guards  considering! 
his  attempt  so  bold  and  fearless  of  death,  and  showed  such  a 
noble  longing  for  liberty,  were  really  sorry  to  see  him  brought 
back,  and  declared  that  a  man  so  dauntless  as  to  dare  such 
perils,  deserved  his  liberty,  and  a  reward  ;  and  had  it  been  in 
their  power  he  would  have  been  released. 

Here  I  must  beg  leave,  though  1  fear  the  repetition  of  our 
distress  may  tire  the  reader,  to  appeal  to  the  feeling  of  my  fel- 
low-citizens, at  this  time  at  ease  beyond  the  great  Atlantic : 
what  would  you  have  done,  could  you  have  seen  your  fellow- 
citizens  at  Dartmoor,  the  coldest  winter  there  has  been  for  half 
a  century,  without  fire  or  light,  during  the  night,  without 
stockings,  and  many  without  shoes,  and  nearly  naked,  half  I 
starved,  buried  in  snow,  upon  thQ  top  of  an  uninhabited  and 
uncultivated  mountain,  the  camp  distemper  among  them,  and 
overrun  with  vermin  ;  great  numbers  dying,  and  death  grimly 
threatening  every  man  ? 

Say,  would  you  not  have  pitied  and  Jlew  to  their  relief,  and 
lef\  the  gay  circle  of  your  amusement? 

But  few  entered  the  service  of  the  enemy  this  month  ;  the 
weather  being  so  very  cold,  they  dreaded  the  removal  to 
Plymouth. 

February,  1814. — The  weather  was  more  moderate,  and  snow 
dissolving  very  fast. 

We  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Beasley,  for  the  first  time 
since  our  confinement,  which  had  continued  ev.er  sino^  Aprili 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


87 


1813.  This  is  the  first  scrap  in  writing  any  prisoner  in  Bng. 
land  had  ever  received  from  him.  It  reads  as  follows:—- 
«  Fellow-citizens,  I  am  authorized  by  the  government  of  the 
United  States  to  allow  you  one  penny  halfpenny  per  day,  for 
the  purpose  of  procuring  you  tobacco  and  soap,  which  will 
commence  being  paid  from  the  first  day  of  January,  and  I 
earnestly  hope  it  will  tend  towards  a  great  relief  in  your  pres- 
ent circumstances.  I  likewise  would  advise  you  to  appoint  a 
committee,  by  which  means  you  can  convey  to  me  any  intel- 
ligence through  the  Board  of  Transport."  Immediately  after 
the  reception  of  this  letter,  we  formed  a  committee  of  six,  five 
besides  myself,  who  were  to  see  that  every  man  had  his  money, 
and  gave  a  receipt  to  Capt.  Shortland,  who  was  authorized  by 
Mr.  Beasley  to  pay  it. 

In  conformity  to  these  arrangements,  we  received,  on  the  5th 
of  February,  three  halfpence  sterling  per  day  (less  than  three 
cents).  This  money  was  to  bo  paid  every  thirty-two  days : 
as  one  month  had  passed  from  the  time  it  was  to  commencei 
we  received  the  payment  for  all  that  time.  The  day's  allow, 
ance  of  cash  would  purchase  two  pounds  of  potatoes,  or  three 
chews  of  tobacco,  which  latter  was  five  shillings  and  six-pence 
sterling  all  over  England.  We  returned  to  Mr.  Beasley  a  let- 
ter, acknowledging  the  receipt  of  the  money,  and  stated  the 
great  alteration  this  little  attention  had  made  in  the  prisoners ; 
every  man  was  animated  beyond  description  to  find  himself 
again  acknowledged  by  the  United  States ;  that  beiure  that 
time  they  concluded  that  during  the  twelve  months  they  had 
been  immured  in  prisons,  so  far  from  their  country,  that  they 
were  entirely  forgotten  by  her,  and  that  she  did  not  any  more 
remember  she  had  such  sons  as  those  at  Dartmoor.  The 
gloom  that  had  so  long  clouded  their  countenances  now  began 
a  little  to  disappear,  and  the  prospect  a  little  brightened,  and 
we  had  hopes  of  life  ;  but  still  our  nakedness  was  grievous  to 
bear.  In  a  letter  of  thanks  to  our  government,  through  the 
medium  of  Mr.  Beasley,  we  stated  every  particular  of  our 
situation,  our  past  and  our  present  sufferings.  We  stated  to 
him  that  it  could  not  be  possible  that  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  had  allowed  that  small  sum  for  those  few  ar- 
ticles, and  had  not  made  any  provision  for  clothing,  which 
ought  to  have  occupied  their  first  attention,  for  without  clothes 
we  did  not  need  soap.  We  must,  therefore,  conclude  this  sum 
was  allowed  by  himself  out  of  the  United  States  funds,  and 

4 


38 


THE    prisoners'   MEMOIRS 


11 


;;! 


that  we  were  extremely  grateful  for  it ;  that  the  United  States, 
were  they  acquainted  with  all  the  particulars  of  our  situation, 
would  make  immediately  all  requisite  arrangements  for 
clothing,  which  his  Honor  Mr.  Beasley  niust  be  well  satisfied 
we  were  much  in  need  of.  After  this  correspondence  with 
Mr.  Beasley,  we  formed  resolutions  to  expel  all  gambling,  and 
were  fully  confident  that  some  greater  arrangement  would  be 
made  for  us. 

Before  this  time  seventy-five  had  entered  the  British  ser- 
vice out  of  nine  hundred  Americans  at  this  depot ;  but  now 
not  a  man  mentioned  such  a  thing ;  he  could  not  be  persuaded 
to  do  it.  This  shows  how  ji.uch  effect  so  little*  attention  of 
Mr.  Beasley  had  upon  the  prisoners.  We,  on  the  22d  of  this 
month,  petitioned  to  have  the  black  prisoners  separated  from 
the  white,  for  i*  w&3  impossible  to  prevent  these  fellows  from 
stealing,  although  they  were  seized  up  and  flogged  almost 
every  day.  Our  pei'tion  was  granted,  and  we  grcat'y  re- 
lieved, and  the  blacks,  ninety  in  number,  occpied  the  upper 
stories. 

The  weather  greatly  moderated,  but  vast  quantities?  of  rain 
fell.  The  British  government  made  an  order  to  release  all 
prisoners  belonging  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  taken  under  the 
flag  of  the  United  States.  A  few  days  alter  they  issued  a 
general  order,  that  all  prisoners  belonging  to  any  nation  with 
whom  she  was  in  alliance,  under  whatever  flag  they  were 
taken,  shouU'  be  released.  This  order  released  many  Ameri- 
cans,  who  were  acquainted  with  different  languages,  and 
could  make  a  plausible  story  :  the  Yankees  were  citizens  of 
all  nations  whose  languajre  they  knew. 

At  the  clost  of  this  month,  we  received  letters  from  our 
countrymen  on  board  the  prison-ships  at  Chatiiam,  aiid  like- 
wise those  at  Stapleton,  informing  us  that  they  had  received 
the  same  allowance  of  three  halfpence  per  day  at  both  places, 
at  the  same  time  that  wc  received  it.  Thry  also  sent,  a  copy 
of  a  letter  of  Mr.  Beasley,  which  is  the  same  as  the  one  al- 
ready mentioned.  They  also  mentioned  that  they  had  had  a 
very  severe  winter,  but  it  was  not  as  severe  there  as  at  this 
place.  The  prisoners  at  Chatham,  among  whom  were  great 
n'lmbers  that  had  been  leleasad  from  the  British  service  dur- 
ing the  winter,  had  received  their  wagea  and  prize  money  ; 
which,  as  is  usual  with  a  gent  rous-heartec  sailor,  they  Jistrib- 
uted  for  the  good  of  the  wholo.     At  the  depot  at  Stapleton,  tbe 


ii 


American  priyoners  were  distributed  among  the  French,  who, 
in  many  instances,  were  very  kind. 

On  the  last  day  of  thia  month,  by  papers  conveyed  to  us  by 
our  friendly  Scotch  guards,  we  found  an  account  of  CtyDtain 
Porter's  taking  two  large  Soutii-Seamen,  mounting  16  guns, 
and  upwards  of  fifty  men  each.  He  says  they  surrendered 
without  firing  a  gun  ;  that  they  were  taken  by  the  boats  of  the 
Essex,  and  speaks  rather  slightly  of  the  courage  of  the  British 
on  those  occasions. 

In  March  the  weather  began  to  be  mild  ;  the  snow  was  now 
mostly  gone ;  the  prisoners  could  remain  in  the  yard  the 
greater  part  of  the  day,  and  their  spirits  were  much  revived 
at  the  expectation  of  receiving  their  penny  halfpenny  per  day 
in  a  lump ;  but  this  was  prolonged,  and  the  prisoners  begai  to 
despond,  as  they  had  received  no  information  from  Mr.  Beas- 
ley  since  the  second  of  last  month  ;  hiit  on  the  fifteenth  orders 
were  issued  to  pay  it,  and  glad  enough  were  we,  for  every 
man  considered  this  little  payment  his  sole  support. 

The  gates  were  now  left  open,  and  we  had  all  the  privileges 
of  the  market  which  were  allowed  the  French ;  we  were  al- 
lowed to  go  through  all  the  prisons,  visit  the  French  officers, 
and  gain  all  the  information  we  could  from  London  papers, 
which  man  ^  of  the  French  officers  took  daily.  The  French 
prisoners  were  much  concerned  at  the  fate  of  their  country 
when  they  learned  the  succ(fss  of  the  allies,  as  every  prisoner 
had  been  in  the  army  or  navy  of  Bonaparte,  and  were  much 
attached  to  the  Emperor. 

Having  received  no  letters  from  Mr.  Beasley,  we  now  gave 
up  all  hope  3f  exchange,  gave  ourselves  up  to  our  condition, 
and  resigned  our  destiny  into  the  hands  of  Heaven  to  deal  with 
us  as  he  pleased,  during  the  long  captivity  which  we  believed 
we  had  to  endure  ;  for,  seeing  the  English  papers  filled  with 
accounts  of  the  success  of  their  arms  in  Europe,  and  every 
day  declaring  their  full  confidence  of  a  complete  conquest  of 
America,  we  could  not  expect  peace,  though  this  boasting  did 
not  frighten  us,  for  we  knew  the  strength  nnd  valor  of  the 
American  people. 

On  the  18th  we  established  a  coffee-house  in  our  prison,  as 
the  French  had  in  theirs,  and  sold  coffee  at  a  penny  a  pint ; 
but  you.  cannot  think  it  very  delicious  when  1  inform  you  that 
it  could  not  be  bought  under  two  and  three  pence  per  pound, 
and  molivsses  seventy  per  hundred  weight.     At  the  same  time 


40 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS 


m 


some  of  the  prisoners  received  money  from  home,  and  all 
established  themselves  in  some  kind  of  business.  Some  estab- 
lished  themselves  as  tobacconists;  others  as  potato  merchants, 
butter  merchants,  and  indeed  almost  all  kinds  of  merchandise 
were  carried  on  in  our  prison  after  we  received  our  second 
payment :  we  had  "  free  trade  and  sailors'  rights."  We  could 
purchase  any  article  of  provision  in  the  markets ;  coffee,  sugar, 
molasses,  any  thing  the  country  afforded.  The  gates  being 
now  opened,  we  traded  with  the  French.  We  could  buy 
potatoes  at  six- pence  a  score,  butter  at  one  and  six-pence  per 
pound ;  and  as  for  meat,  that  was  out  of  the  question  alto- 
gether. Every  ntan  began  to  use  all  the  economy  he  could,* 
wb'ch  he  perceived  the  French  did.  Some  went  to  work  for 
the  French  at  making  straw  flats,  at  which  they  could  earn 
one  penny  per  day.  Others  were  employed  in  making  list 
shoes,  some  in  the  maTiufactory  of  hair  bracelets,  necklaces, 
&c. ;  while  great  numbers  employed  themselves  in  working 
the  bones  we  got  out  of  the  beef,  in  imitation  of  the  French, 
who  were  very  ingenious,  and  would  form  the  most  admirable 
and  beautiful  ships,  plank,  mast,  and  rig  them  all  of  bone. 
The  French,  for  their  amusement,  had  regular  plays  in  a 
theatrical  ^orm,  with  very  elegant  scenery,  once  a  month, 
'lamlet's  ghost  was  an  easy  part  to  act,  for  they  had  only  to 
show  their  natural  visage,  being  mere  shadows  themselves. 
They  had  excellent  music,  and  appropriate  comic  and  tragic 
dresses.  They  also  had  schools  for  teaching  the  arts  and 
sciences,  dancing*,  fencing,  and  music,  and  each  of  these  in 
great  perfection.  As  numbers  of  them  were  daily  receiving 
money  from  France,  their  prison  was  very  rich.  But  No.  4, 
where  the  sons  of  liberty  had  lived  so  long  on  the  vapor  of  a 
dungeon,  when  will  the  same  be  said  of  you  ?  Perhaps  some 
victim  as  unhappy  as  myself,  when  some  ten  years  have  rolled 
away,  and  the  human  mind,  compelled  by  stern  necessity  to 
invent,  and  I  myself  have  found  my  quietus  behind  the  prison- 
walls,  may  tell  a  sorry  story  of  splendid  misery  within  your 
gloomy  gates. 

During  the  whole  month  of  March  the  weather  was  quite 
mild,  and  the  prisoners  gained  their  tiealth  and  strength 
greatly.  On  the  2lst  we  detected  the  contractor  cheating  us 
in  our  rations,  by  giving  scant  weight.  We  immediately  in- 
formed Capt.  Shortland  of  the  fraud,  who  examined  into  the 
fact,  and    had    the  cheating   stopped,  but  gave  the  conduct 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


41 


of  the   contractor   a   very  easy  term,   by  saying   it   was   a 
mistake. 

Towards  the  close  of  this  month  many  of  the  Americans  had. 
obtained  some  remnants  of  garments  from  the  French,  and 
mostly  all  the  boys  had  got  into  the  employ  of  the  French  offi. 
cars  as  waiters.  Many  of  these  little  victims  of  war  wtre 
under  thirteen — and  there  were  many  old  men  above  the  age 
of  sixty  imprisoned  :  both  these  classes  it  has  been  considered 
contrary  to  the  custom  of  nations  to  imprison.  What  use 
could  it  be  to  sacrifice  the  aged  or  the  child  in  a  prison  ? 

I  had  sailed  fo.  many  years  in  the  emploj  ment  of  merchants 
of  England,  and  had  ever  had  a  most  exalted  idea  of  the  hu- 
manity and  generosity  of  that  nation,  but  by  woeful  experience 
I  found  I  had  been  deceived.  Many  of  my  readers  may,  per- 
haps, dispute  the  truth  of  what  I  have  here  asserted ;  but  I 
appeal  to  thousands  of  my  countrymen,  who  will  testify  the 
t-ut     '^f  what  I  have  said,  and  thousands  who  have  suffered 

:'J\  ;'.u  will  say,  that  the  pen  of  Homer  or  Milton  would  fall 
short  in  describing  the  miseries  of  Dartmoor. 

Though  the  weather  was  quite  mild  at  the  end  of  the  month, 
yet,  as  nr.any  of  the  prisoners  were  almost  naked,  they  suffered 
greatly  for  want  of  more  clothing. 

On  the  last  day  of  this  month  we  received  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Beasley,  being  the  second  ever  received  at  this  depot  from 
him. 

I  shall  commence  the  transactions  of  April  by  giving  a  copy 
of  the  letter  which  we  received  the  day  before. 

Fellow-Citizens, — 

In  addition  to  the  allowance  of  three  halfpence  per  day, 
which  has  her  lofore  been  allowed,  I  shall  make  remittance  to 
Captain  Sh  r  .n,  to  enable  you  to  have  coffee  and  sugar 
t'.ice  a  woe.  .  •  ;ii  's,  the  days  on  which  your  rations  consist 
of  fish  ;  my  liritr.iOn  at  first  was  +o  have  the  articles  them- 
selves sent  to  ba  dii:.i'ibut«>d,  but  it  being  suggested  to  me  by 
the  cotnmittees  at  the  other  depots  that  the  value  i\  money 
would  be  more  serviceable  to  the  prisoners,  I  have  determined 
to  allow  three-pence  halfpenny  per  man,  two  days  in  the  week, 
being  the  value  of  those  articles,  and  I  hope  the  committee 
will  find  means  to  ensure  its  being  applied  to  the  purpose  in- 
tended. Yours,  &o., 

R.  G.  Beasley. 

With  lu2  \fttter  ^vas  accompanied  an  additional  allowance. 


^'^ 


42 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


'ii  mk^ 


ml 


■I? 

I 


which  augmented  the  sum  to  two  pence  halfpenny,  and  we 
now  received  the  sum  of  six  and  eight  pence  on  the  eighth. 
This  was  to  continue  being  paid  monthly. 

As  it  is  natural  to  expect,  this  payment  produced  great 
spirits  and  animation  among  the  prisoners,  and  was  as  welcome 
as  a  thousand  pounds  wiien  we  were  free  and  had  plenty. 
With  this  money  the  prisoners  purchased  many  little  necessary 
articles  of  clothing,  such  as  shirts,  shoes,  trowsers,  &c.,  which 
could  be  bought  very  cheap  of  the  French,  who  always  kept 
stores  of  second-hand  clothing,  which  were  obtained  from  the 
officers. 

The  weather  was  fine — for  this  place—- and  the  prisoners 
healthy ;  and,  having  obtained  some  clothes,  and  anticipating 
the  reception  of  more,  began  to  be  quite  comfortable  in  iheir 
situation,  when  we  c(  v^'^'-e  it  to  the  distress  of  that  cold  win- 
ter they  had*just  passed       ' 'igh.  ♦ 

Our  kittle  salary  seemtu  >  command  some  respect  from  the 
turnkeys,  soldier-officers,  and  subalterns,  who  were  themselves 
as  poor  and  meager  as  Romeo's  apothecary.  It  brought  us 
many  indulgences,  such  as  full  liberty  of  the  markets,  which 
before  had  been  prohibited,  and  we  .compelled  to  purchase  of 
the  French  at  the  gratings.  This  was  a  great  benefit  to 
us,  for  we  could  now  trade  with  the  country  people  much 
cheaper. 

To  regulate  our  rations,  we  were  also  allowed  to  appoint  a 
committee  of  two,  to  attend  at  the  store-house  to  see  that  the 
contractor  gave  us  weight  in  those  articles  allowed  by  the 
Board. 

The  day  after  we  received,  our  payment,  we  received  Lon- 
don papers  containing  an  official  account  of  the  allies  entering 
Paris,  and  the  complete  defeat  and  downfall  of  Bonaparte. 
This  news  was  a  sore  affliction  to  the  French  prisoners,  who 
were  passionately  attached  to  the  Emperor,  and  not  much  less 
galling  to  the  Americans ;  for  now  some  boasting  pettimaitres 
among  the  British  officers  would  come  into  the  yard,  in  the 
most  taunting,  vile  manner,  to  sport  with  the  feelings  of  the 
prisoners  of  both  nations  :  "  For,"  said  they,  "  we  have  con- 
quered France,  and  have  not  the  least  doubt  but  we  shall 
shortly  completely  reduce  the  United  States  to  colonies  of 
Great  Britain,  and  your  haughty  President  become  a  mendi- 
cant vagabond."  This  insolence  was  too  much  for  flesh  and 
blood  to  bear.     They  declared  they  could  have  peace  on  any 


■   ill 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


48 


terms  they  wished,  and,  although  we  were  yet  prisoners  of 
war,  they  considered  us  their  subjects. 

Such  language  to  prisoners  who  could  not  resent  it,  showed 
that  the  authors  of  it  could  be  nothing  better  than  the  vilest 
caitiffs,  and  ould  flow  from  nothing  but  the  meanest  of  envy. 

The  French  prisoners  felt  this  conduct  much  more  severe 
than  we  ;  for  the  conquest  was  already  made,  and  they  were 
obliged  to  look  to  a  master  whom  they  hated,  to  one  who  was 
the  choice  of  their  enemies,  Louis  XVIII. 

Mpny  gentlemen  visited  the  prison  to  congratulate  those  un- 
fortunate men  on  their  being  restored  to  liberty,  and  thought 
that  as  they  had  been  many  of  them  confined  from  five  to 
eleven  years,  they  would  rejoice  at  the  idea  of  liberty  under 
any  monarch.  They  presented  the  prisoners  with  the  old  na- 
tional flag,  and  advised  them  to  wear  the  white  cockade  j  but 
they  declared,  in  the  presence  of  those  gentlemen,  that  they 
would  prefer  staying  in  prison  all  their  lifetime  than  to  serve 
any  other  master,  or  become  subject  to  any  other  kin^  than 
Bonaparte,  whom  they  loved.  But  the  sequel  will  show  how 
lasting  their  determinations  were,  and  how  like  they  were  td 
their  nation  at  large.  '      . 

At  this  time  to  express  their  regret  at  the  misfortune  of 
their  beloved  emperor,  and  their  resentment  to  the  proflTered 
flag  and  cockade  of  the  new  monarch,  they  came  forward 
every  man,  w  taring  the  tri-colorod  cockade,  and  the  white 
ones  on  the  heads  of  the  dogs  that  ran  about  the  yards.  The 
white  flag  they  destroyed  with  great  eagerness,  in  presence  of 
the  visitois  and  great  numbers  of  British  oflScers  standing  on 
the  wall. 

Shortly  after  this  intelligence  o*"  the  aflTairs  of  France,  we 
had  letters  from  Chatham,  which  iiiformed  us  that,  since  the 
last  from  that  place,  there  had  arrived  great  numbers  of  pris- 
oners  there,  and  that  many  were  almost  persfiaded  in  their 
own  minds  to  enter  the  enemy's  service  ;  that  they  had  re- 
ceived the  additional  allowance  at  the  saqie  time  as  ourselves. 
On  ihe  15th  we  were  informed  that  there  was  a  draft  ready  at 
Plymouth,  and  would  shortly  be  sent  to  this  depot. 

About  this  time  a  separate  arrangement  was  made  for  allow- 
ing the  crew  of  the  U.  S.  brig  Argus  half  ^pay,  to  be.  received 
monthly,  and  at  the  time  the  first  payment  was  received,  they 
received  clothing.  This  was  an  additional  benefit  to  our  prison, 
as  there  were  established  in  it  a  great  number  of  shops  for 


■iic.4.  < 


I: 
'fi  ' 


.'^i 

--!< 


f^       i 


1  ;i' 


A.'- 


44 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


various  branches  of  business ;   this  money  circulated  within 
ourselves,  and  every  one  derived  some  advantage.  ^ 

The  preliminaries  of  peace  being  agreed  on  at  Paris,  the 
French  prisoners,  towards  the  close  of  the  month,  began  to 
make  all  preparation  for  leaving  the  prison,  and  once  more 
visiting  their  native  country.  The  idea  of  returning  to  their  na- 
tive land,  their  homes,  and  their  wives,  was  too  nicely  inter- 
woven with  the  threads  of  their  nature  to  be  razed  by  that  of 
their  aversion  to  the  Bourbons.  The  change  which  was  about 
to  take  place  in  their  situation  had  in  it  too  many  of  the  en- 
dearments  of  life  to  be  sacrificed  for  the  love  of  any  monarch. 
The  scenes  of  their  youth,  the  places  where  they  had  spent  so 
many  careless,  pleasant  days,  the  embraces  of  their  fridnds, 
all  rushed  upon  their  minds  at  once,  and  they  could  not  for- 
bear  the  highest  transports  of  joy.  They  went  to  leave  all  the 
evils  that  men  suffer  in  this  life,  and  to  embrace  all  the  good 
and  blessings  of  it. 

We  had  now  an  opportunity  of  procuring  all  the  tools  and 
utensils  of  the  mechanical  arts  which  the  French  carried  on. 
And  during  their  long  imprisonment  they  had  obtained  almost 
every  article  that  could  be  named  ;  all  these  articles  we  pur- 
chased, and  every  man  turned  all  his  ingenuity  to  some  branch 
or  other. 

The  weather  being  pleasant,  and  the  prisoners  healthy,  they 
bore  their  confinement  with  as  much  patience  as  could  be  ex- 
pected. By  permission,  towards  the  close  of  the  month,  they 
established  a  beer-house,  where  small-beer  was  sold  for  two 
pence  halfpenny  per  pot. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  month  a  school  was  established  for 
the  instruction  of  the  boys  in  the  arts  of  reading,  writing,  and 
common  arithmetic  ;  to  maintain  the  school,  the  rate  of  tuition 
was  fixed  at  six  pence  per  month  per  scholar,  to  be  paid  by 
them. 

May  commenced,  the  weather  was  equally  fine,  but  some 
rain.  In  the  bustle  of  the  crowd,  we  almost  forgot  our  situa- 
tion ;  the  market  square  was  crowded  every  day  with  people 
of  every  description — some  came  for  curiosity,  others  to  trade, 
and  among  the  latter  were  many  Jews,  who  brought  clothing, 
and  many  other  articles  which  might  be  wanted  by  the  French 
for  thoir  journey.  The  French  prisoners  were  all  in  confusion 
making  ready  for  their  departure.  The  proposal  was  again 
made  to  the  French  prisoners  to  heist  the  white  flag,  and  wear 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


45 


■:  /. 


the  insignia  of  Louis  XVIII. ;  but  they  rejected  it,  and  would  not 
listen  to  any  argument.  Now  was  the  time  to  try  the  strength 
of  their  attachment  to  the  emperor,  whom  only  they  had  sworn 
to  serve  or  die  in  prison.  When  the  proposition  was  itiade  to 
them  either  to  hoist  the  flag  and  wear  the  insignia,  or  remain 
in  prison  till  the  last  draft  of  prisoners  in  England,  they  then 
immediately,  but  rather  reluctantly,  hoisted  the  white  flag  and 
put  on  the  cockade.  But  it  was  a  grievous  sight  to  them,  and 
they  could  not  look  at  it  but  with  the  bitterest  reflection,  and 
the  most  poignant  regret ;  for  they  had  for  years  endured  all 
the  calamities  and  hardships  of  danger  and  war  for  the  sup- 
port of  their  beloved  emperor,  who  now  must  give  place  to 
those  they  hated. 

On  the  10th  a  draft  of  Americans  from  Plymouth,  about 
170,  in  great  distress,  arrived  at  this  depot,  amoog  whom  were 
the  seventeen  that  were  taken  and  put  into  close  confinement 
by  the  information  of  Robertson.  They  had  been  tried  for 
high  treason  by  a  court  of  judicature,  but  there  not  being  sufli- 
cient  evidence  on  the  part  of  the  crown  to  support  the  charge, 
they  were  acquitted,  and  sent  to  this  prison,  to  be  dealt  by  as 
prisoners  of  war  only.  In  the  same  draft  were  a  number  of 
prisoners  who  had  been  released  from  British  ships  of  war. 

On  the  15th  we  received  our  monthly  pay ;  this  came  very 
appropos,  to  enable  us  to  buy  all  the  furniture  used  by  the 
French  at  a  very  low  price.  On  the  same  day  Mr.  Williams, 
clerk  to  Mr.  Beasley,  and  a  Jew  merchant  of  London,  Mr. 
Jacobs,  brought  and  delivered  to  each  prisoner  a  jacket,  pair 
of  trowsers,  a  pair  of  shoes,  and  a  shirt.  The  jacket  and 
trowsers  were  of  very  coarse  blue  cloth,  much  coarser  than 
that  of  the  English  ;  but  it  was  such  a  dress  as  we  had  been 
used  to  wearing.  Mr.  Williams  then  told  us  that  we  were  to 
be  clothed  altogether  by  the  United  States,  and  these  we  had 
now  received  were  to  last  us  eighteen  months.  These  were 
the  first  we  had  ever  received  from  the  agent ;  and  it  is  impos- 
sible to  describe  the  great  change  and  life  it  gave  the  prison- 
ers :  they  all  cleaned  themselves,  and  every  thing  about  them, 
and  laid  by  their  yellow  rags. 

They  began  to  attract  the  attention  of  all  about  them  ;  the 
British  officers  would  now  visit  them,  and  were  not  afraid  of 
being  covered  with  vermin  as  befoK  ;  our  appearance  was  not 
loathsome  to  one  another ;  we  were  in  great  spirits  now,  and 
to  prevent  some  thoughtless  men  from  selling  their  clothing  to 


I 


-V- 


)  ■ 


46 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


the  French  to  wear  home,  we  passed  an  act  that  every  man 
should  appear  in  his  dress  which  he  had  received  from  the 
United  States,  to  receive  his  monthly  payment,  or  not  receive 
it  at  all. 

We  now  felt  a  spirit  of  independence  which  had  before  been 
smothered  in  the  wretchedness  of  our  situation  ;  wa  could  now 
converse  with  ease,  and  without  that  restraint  which  a  mean 
and  dirty  habit  will  ever  give  •».  nmn  in  presence  of  those  in  a 
clean  and  genteel  one  ;  that  old,  dirty,  tawny  dress  depressed 
us  with  a  sense  of  inferiority ;  but  now  we  could  vindicate 
our  country's  rights  in  argument  with  any  visitor ;  we  came 
out  boldly,  and  detnanded  restitution  for  any  injury  or  fraud  that 
heretofore  had  been  practised  upon  us ;  every  man  began  to 
see  to  it,  how  he  should  gain  something  more,  now  he  was  fur. 
nished  with  utensils,  and  set  himself  about  something. 

On   the  twentieth,   orders   arrived   for   the   first   draft  ofl 
French,  and  the  day  after  five  hundred  were  taken  out  and 
marched  to  Plymouth,  where  they  took  shipping  and  went(  to 
France.  i 

A  very  singular  kind  of  conduct  now  showed  itself  in  the 
British  government.  Twenty-four  Americans,  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  who  had  been  taken  under  the  flag  of  France 
about  two  years  before  the  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain,  were  now  among  the  French  prisoners  at  this 
place.  They  had  often  applied  to  the  government  to  be  re- 
leased as  citizens  of  the  United  States  before  the  war.  They 
also,  asserting  their  citizenship,  had  applied  after  the  war,  to 
be  enrolled  on  the  list  of  United  States  prisoners,  but  had  been 
refused  both  their  applications.  They  now  expected  to  be  re- 
leased with  the  French  prisoners,  on  account  of  their  always 
being  considered  by  government  as  French  prisoners ;  but  the 
government  would  not  release  them  as  such,  but  detained  them 
in  prison.  They  now,  seeing  they  could  not  have  the  privi- 
lege of  French  prisoners,  applied  to  Mr.  Beasley,  and  claimed 
their  citizenship  in  the  United  States,  but  received  for  answer 
from  him,  "  that  he  could  not  receive  them  as  such  !" 

These  men  were  citizens  of  the  world  sure  enough,  for  they 
belonged  to  no  nation  in  it ;  they  therefore  remained  unpro- 
vided for  by  either  government.  But  we  could  not.  see  them 
perish  as  long  as  we  had  any  thing  which  could  be  divided ; 
they  therefore  lived  upon  our  charity  the  whole  time. 

On  the  twenty-fifth,  another  draft  took  place  as  before,  and 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


47 


released  one  thousand*  At  this  time,  all  the  Swedish  subjects, 
taken  under  the  tlag  of  the  United  States,  were  released  and 
permitted  to  go  home. 

The  French,  who  had  been  employed  in  different  occupations, 
being  now  released,  we  applied  to  government  to  be  allowed 
that  privilege,  each  man  employed  at  these  different  occupations, 
such  as  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  masons,  nurses  in  the  hospital 
&c. ;  and  two  hundred  labourers  were  paid  six  pence  a  day. 
In  answer  to  this  application,  we  were  told,  that  after  the  dis- 
charge of  all  the  French  prisoners  we  should  have  them  allowed 
us. 

When  the  French  prisoners  passed  out,  they  were  all  called 
over  by  name,  and  great  numbers  being  dead,  which  was  not 
known  to  the  keepers,  afforded  a  fine  opportunity  for  the  Ame- 
ricans to  answer,  and  pass  out  in  the  name  of  the  deceased. 
Great  numbers,  who  could  speak  French,  obtained  their  release 
in  this  manner. 

At  the  end  of  the  month,  another  draft  of  one  thousand  took 
place,  among  whom,  twenty  Americans  passed  out  in  the  same 
manner  as  before,  the  deception  not  being  as  yet  discovered. 

At  the  same  time,  we  received  information  by  letters  from 
Chatham  and  Stapleton,  that  Mr.  Williams,  and  the  Jew  mer- 
chant had  visited  them,  and  supplied  them  in  the  manner  as 
ourselves,  and  also,  that  the  French  prisoners  at  those  places 
were  released  daily.  Few  died  this  month,  the  weather  gene- 
rally pleasant,  but  much  rain. 

Before  I  leave  the  events  of  this  month,  I  cannot  forbear 
mentioning  one  very  melancholy  and  striking  instance  of  the 
force  of  disappointment  and  despair ;  where  hope  has  painted 
glowing  scenes  of  pleasure ;  the  heart  sickens  and.  the  mind 
grows  frantic. 

On  the  discharge  of  the  prisoners,  every  man  before  he  can 
be  discharged,  must  return  the  same  complement  of  bed- 
ding which  he  had  received  two  years  before ;  he  must  have 
the  same  number  of  articles,  let  them  be  in  ever  so  worn-out 
state ;    if  he  do  this  he  can  then  pass,  if  not,  he  cannot  pass. 

It  happened,  that  one  unfortunate  man,  called  for  in  the  last 
draft,  did  not  bring  forward  the  articles  of  bedding :  he  was  re- 
fused a  pass,  and  ordered  back  to  produce  them  ;  he  ran  about  in 
great  confusion  and  the  most  terrible  anxiety  to  procure  them, 
but  could  not  find  them  ;  he  returned  again  to  pass  out,  he  was 
refused ;  he  had  been  immured  and  buried  within  the  cold, 


48 


THE    prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


gloomy  walls  of  this  prison,  eleven  tedious  and  painful  years, 
e  said :  he  ran  and  looked,  and  looked  again — he  could  not 
procure  them,  and  he  was  refused  to  pass ; — then,  in  the 
agonies  of  despair,  he  seized  a  knife  and  put  an  end  to  his  suf- 
ferings, by  cutting  his  own  throat,  in  presence  of  his  country- 
men and  the  keepers ! 

The  spectacle  was  too  horrible  to  behold  without  the  deepest 
regret  and  sorrow ;  it  was  a  sight,  that  all-powerful  Juno 
might  have  sent  down  Iria  from  heaven,  to  relieve  his  strug. 
gling  soul  from  her  united  limbs.  Many,  through  despair,  had 
committed  suicide  before  in  the  French  prisons. 

June.  The  weather  continued  much  the  same.  On  the 
fiflh,  another  draft  of  French  prisoners  was  made.  At  this 
time,  an  order  was  issued,  to  discharge  from  confinement  all 
French  prisoners  who  Ifad  been  taken  under  the  flag  of  the 
United  States.  The  Americans,  who  wer^  ever  watchful  for 
an  opportunity  to  make  their  escape,  took  advantage  of  this 
order  to  obtain  their  liberty  many  came  forward  and  claimed 
their  birth  right  in  France  and  its  dependencies ;  being  w^ll 
versed  in  the  French  language,  they  bure  a  good  examination, 
and  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  were  released  in  the  last  draft 
of  French  subjects. 

By  this  time  all  the  French  from  No.  4  were  released,  and 
we  had  the  whcle  prison  to  ourselves ;  but  the  blacks  being 
mixed  with  us  were  very  troublesome. 

We  having  purchased  from  the  French  all  they  had,  were 
now  Well  furnished  with  household  furniture,  such  as  tables, 
dishes,  seats,  and  things  to  cook  in.  We  now  carried  on  the 
business  of  making  straw  flats  for  hats  and  bonnets,  although 
not  allowed  by  government ;  by  strict  attention,  we  could  make 
'at  this  bussness  three  pence  a  day. 

On  the  fifteenth,  we  received  ou«  monthly  pay,  which  never 
failed  to  come  about  that  time. 

.  On  the  twentieth,  the  whole  of  the  French  prisoners  were 
discharged  except  a  few  sick  in  the  Hospital.  >■ 

On  the  22d,  Capt.  Shortland  gave  us  information  that  all  the 
prisorsrs  in  England  were  to  be  collected  at  Stapleton,  as  the 
Transport  Board  determined  on  that  place  for  a  general  depot 
for  all  American  prisoners.  There  were  now  in  Eingland, 
three  thousand  five  hundred  unparoled  prisoners.  The  same 
information  was  given  at  Chatham  and  Plymouth. 

We  anticipated  much  advantage  in  the  change  of  situation. 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


49 


ers  were 


anJ  began  to  prepare  for  the  removal,  and  from  the  authentic 
account  we  had  received  from  that  place,  there  had  not  died 
but  one-fiftieth  as  many  in  proportion  to  their  number,  as  had 
died  at  *hi8  depot;  .the  change  was  therefore  much  to  be  de- 
sired ;  the  climate  was  much  more  pleasant  and  healthy,  and 
the  contiguity  to  the  city  of  Bristol,  where  every  article  manu- 
factured by  the  prisoners,  would  find  a  ready  market  at  a  much 
higher  price  than  at  this  place  ;   all  articles  of  provision  much 
cheaper.     But  much  to  our  disappointment,  on  the  twenty- 
fourth,  the  late  order  was  countermanded,  and  Capt.  Shortland 
ordered  to  make  all  things  ready  for  the  reception  of  all  the 
prisoners  in  England,  as  the  board  had  determined  on  making 
this  depot  the  general  receptacle  for  all  prisoners  in  the  country, 
as  they  considered  it  the  safest  of  any  in  the  kingdom,  and  they 
might  have  added,  far  more  infernal  than  the  Bastile.     He  also 
told  the  prisoners  that  he  had  orders  to  employ  any  number  of 
the  prisoners  he  should  think  necessary,  such  as  carpenters 
and  masons,  to  build  a  church  near  the  prison,  and  a  number 
of  laborers  to  repair   the  roads ;    also  blacksmiths,  coopers, 
painters,  lamp-lighters,  and  nurses  in  the  hospital,  &c.     The 
number,  he  said,  would  amount  to  upwards  of  one  hundred.  He 
then  told  us  under  what  restrictions  we  were  to  work  ;  we  were 
to  be  under  the  eye  of  a  guard  all  the  time,  and  if  any  prison- 
er attempted  to  make  his  escape,  that  no  more  Americans  would 
be  employed,  and  to  prevent  this,  the  following  rule  was  adopt- 
ed ;  they  were  to  receive  their  pay,  at  the  rate  of  six-pence 
per  day,  every' three  months,  and  if  any  prisoner  escaped,  the 
whole  pay  was  forfeited ;   this  kept  every  prisoner  watchful 
over  each  other,  for  when  one  run  away,  all  the  others  lost  their 
whole  pay  and  employment ;  besides,  this  was  the  method  they 
had  used  with  the  French. 

We  found  this  to  be  a  great  benefit  to  us,  for  those  workmen 
who  went  out  of  the  prison  yards,  smuggled  in  all  kinds  of 
prohibited  articles,  such  as  rum,  candles,  oil,  and  news  papers; 
and  smuggled  out  all  the  prohibited  articles,  manufactured  in 
the  prison.  At  this  trade  each  man  could  make  four  or  five 
shillings  a  day. 

There  were  now  eleven  hundred  prisoners,  and  manufactures 
having  got  to  considerable  perfection,  the  receipts  of  money 
brought  into  the  prison  each  week  besides  the  allowances, 
were  fifty  pounds  sterling.     Besides  this  sum  of  money,  many 

5 


50 


THE    PRISONERS'    MEMOIRS, 


:iy 


m 


Ifi 


1 1^ 


in  III 

lliii 


prisoners  had  friends  in  England,  and  received  from  them  con- 
siderable sums. 

The  prisoners  now  began  to  live,  and  got  into  good  spirits. 
The  latter  part  of  this  month  150  workmen  were  employed  at 
different  branches  of  mechanical  business.  At  this  time  pris- 
oners from  Stapleton  arrived  at  this  depot ;  their  number  at 
first  was  400,  but  was  now  reduced  to  350.  Seventeen  had 
enlisted  in  the  British  service,  eight  died,  and  the  remainder 
made  their  escape.  On  their  arrival  here,  they  were  commit- 
ted to  No.  4,  which  contained  upwards  of  1400,  and  was 
much  crowded.  These  350  were  in  a  very  bad  condition, 
many  were  without  shoes,  and  had  travelled  most  of  the  dis- 
tance in  the  same  condition,  for  the  shoes  they  had  received 
from  the  agent  did  not  last  more  than  three  or  four  weeks. 
This  was  an  imposition  of  the  contractor,  as  the  agent  after, 
wards  said  he  had  learned. 

On  the  twentieth  of  June  we  were  informed,  by  Capt.  Short- 
land,  that  when  the  other  prisoners  arrived  from  Chatham,  hei 
would  open  the  yards  on  the  south  side  of  the  enclosure,  and' 
give  us  all  the  privileges  of  the  other  prisons.  These  yards 
being  large,  would  admit  of  many  amusements  which  that  of 
No.  4  would  not,  such  as  playing  ball,  &c. 

At  this  time,  viewing  our  circumstances  on  all  sides,  and 
seeing  no  hope  of  exchange  or  peace,  we  formed  a  design  to 
make  our  escape ;  our  plan  was,  thai  immediately  after  our 
removal  to  the  other  prisons,  to  dig  a  hole  two  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  long,  all  the  way  under  ground  ;  this  would  reach 
from  the  prison  beyond  the  outer  wall.  The  success  of  this 
design  will  be  mentioned  hereafler.  On  the  same  day  we  re- 
ceived London  papers,  containing  an  account  of  the  capture  of 
the  United  States  frigate  Essex,  by  the  frigate  Phebe  and  sloop- 
of-war  Cherub.  The  London  editor  said  that  the  Essex  was 
equal  in  size  to  a  seventy-four.  Had  he  said  her  defence  was 
equal  to  a  seventy-four,  Capt.  Hilliar  would  have  agreed  .with 
him.  The  garrison  was  again  renewed  with  a  new  regiment, 
and  the  old  one  removed.  This  regiment  was  very  much  em- 
bittered against  the  government ;  their  term  of  five  years,  for 
which  they  had  enlisted,  having  expired,  the  government  re- 
fused  to  discharge  them. 

At  this  time  the  government  was  giving  great  encourage' 
ment  to  soldiers  to  enlist  to  fight  against  the  United  States ; 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


51 


this  regiment  was  offered  every  inducement  to.  join  ;  they 
therefore  made  it  their  business  to  make  particular  inquiry  of 
the  prisoners  what  was  the  manner  of  our  warfare,  and  the 
dispositions  of  the  American  soldiers.  I  found  they  were  very 
ignorant  in  these  things,  and  easily  deterred  from  their  enlist- 
ing. 1  composed  a  song,  and  distributed  it  at.Mong  them,  aAer 
which  not  a  man  ever  enlisted  or  offered  to.  This  very  much 
enraged  the  soldier-officers  of  the  garrison,  who  issued  orders 
that  if  any  sentry  was  found  conversing  with  a  prisoner,  he 
should  be  punished ;  but  it  was  impossible  to  stop  it,  the  sol- 
diers were  equally  desirous  as  the  prisoners  to  converse. 

The  fourth  of  July  was  not  far  distant,  and  we  began  to 
make  preparations  to  celebrate  the  day  a  second  time  since  our 
confinement.  We  obtained  permission  from  the  keeper  to 
purchase  two  hogsheads  of  porter ;  we  likewise  had  got  a 
number  of  gallons  of  rum  unbeknown  to  the  keeper. 

We  also  provided  ourselves  with  American  colors,  and  in- 
vited all  the  soldier-officers,  clerks  of  the  prison,  and  soldiers, 
to  attend  and  hear  an  oration  that  would  be  delivered  on  the 
fourth,  which  was  the  anniversary  of  American  Independence. 
Th  irisoners  were  in  high  spirits,  expecting  to  enjoy  them- 
se  much  better  than  they  had  done  on  the  preceding  one, 
Wiiuu  ihey  were  half  naked. 

In  the  month  of  June  we  had  but  few  deaths,  and  the  prison- 
ers generally  healthy  ;  we  had  rain,  and  many  showers. 

On  the  first  of  Julv  we  received  letters  from  Chatham,  in- 
forming  us  that  they  were  much  concerned  at  a  late  order, 
which  was  shortly  to  remove  them  to  this  depot ;  the  same 
letter  informed  us  that  the  prisoners  on  board  the  Crowned 
Prince  had  been  confined  three  days  without  victuals  or  drink ; 
the  reason  why  is  yet  untold. 

On  the  second  of  the  month  the  crew  of  the  Argus  received 
another  payment  of  several  pounds  each  m  ,n,  through  the 
hands  of  the  late  purser  to  that  vessel ;  this  came  very  timely 
to  us  in  the  celebration  of  American  Independence. 

By  letters  from  Plymouth,  this  day,  we  were  informed  the 
reason  of  the  prisoners  being  confined  below  deck  on  board 
the  Crowned  Prince. 

It  happened  that  the  boats'  crew  of  that  ship  had  been  on 
shore  and  stole  a  slieep  from  a  farmer,  and  the  commander 
had  had  his  table  served  with  the  best  pieces ;  the  farmer  get- 
ting information  where  the  sheep  had  gone,  came  and  de- 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


manded  reparation  for  his  sheep ;  the  commander,  to  screen 
the  boats'  crew,  paid  the  farrrier  the  price  of  the  sheep. 

The  story  of  the  sheep  was  soon  known  to  the  prisoners, 
who,  having  a  dislike  to  the  commander,  one  morning,  as  he 
was  going  on  shore  with  his  wife,  and  at  the  moment  he  was 
entering  the  boat,  thej  all  as  one  agreed  tcr  cry  hhr  y  Iw  under, 
stood  the  meaning  the  very  instant  the  sound  struck  his  ear, 
and  turning  back,  he  ordered  the  p.usoneis  all  below,  and  to 
be  kept  there  three  days  without  victuals  or  drink. 

On  the  evening  of  the  third,  an  event  happened  at  Dart- 
moor, which  ended 'in  a  very  serious  manner.  A  dispute 
arose  between  two  of  the  prisoners  late  belonging  to  the  United 
States'  brig  Argus,  by  the  names  of  Thomas  Hill  and  James 
Henry ;  the  quarrel  growing  quite  warm,  and  not  being  ended 
that  night,  they  agree'd  to  fight  next  morning ;  accordingly, 
next  morning,  about  nine  o'clock,  they  commenced  the  battle 
in  prison  No.  4,  and  by  an  iinfortunate  blow  from  Hill,  Henry 
was  killed  on  the  spot ;  a  jury  of  iriquest  was  called  nextmori^ 
ing  and  held  over  the  body  of  the  deceast^d,  and  after  hearing 
the  evidence,  the  jury  brought  in  a  verdict  of  manslaughter,  (or 
a  killing  not  wholly  without  fault,  but  without  malice.) 
Thomas  Hill  was  removed  and  confined  in  the  county  prison 
at  Exeter,  there  to  await  his  trial  at  the  August  a<$sizes  then 
next  ensuing. 

The  fourth  of  July  now  having  arrived,  and  all  things  in 
great  preparation,  we  displayed  our  flag  in  the  yard,  with  the 
following  inscription  upon  it  in  large  capitals,  "  All  Canada  or 
Dartmoor  prison  for  life.'''  This  pleased  the  soldier^,  but  iiri- 
tated  the  officers,  who,  discovering  our  firm  resolution  to  defend 
the  flag,  and  not  having  but  part  of  a  regiment  in  the  garrison, 
and  they  friendly  toward  us,  thought  best  to  be  quite  silent, 
and  let  us  proceed  our  own  way ;  for  if  they  attempted  tc  de- 
prive  us  of  the  flag,  we  might  rush  on  the  guard,  who  would 
make  but  »».  faint  repistince,  or  join  us^  and  all  the  prisoners 
might  make  an  easy  escape.  But  the  prisoners  did  not  wish 
to  make  the  attempt,  for  they  knew  a  reinibrcement  could 
easily  be  raised,  and  make  a  vigorous  pursuit,  and  were 
theretere  willing  to  wuit  some  more  favorable  opportunity.  At 
w'^ven  o'clock  all  the  prisoners  assembled  in  the  yard.  The 
British  officers  belonging  to  the  garrison,  colonels,  majors, 
captains,  clerks,  turnkeys,  and  a  great  nunjber  of  soldiers,  as- 
sembled  on  the  walls  to  hear  an  oration  composed  Hy  a  Yankee 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


53 


sailor,  upon  the  circumstances  of  the  present  times.  An  empty 
cask  was  placed  in  such  a  situation,  as  all  the  strangers  on  the 
walls  could  hear  distinctly. 

The  orator  of  the  day  then  mounted  the  cask,  and  all  the 
spectators  keeping  a  profound  silence,  began  his  oration,  which 
we  shall  give  our  readers  verbatim,  as  it  was  de)iv>u-red  by  the 
sailor.  v 

^'  Countrymen  and  felbw-citizens :  ■'.  :       • 

"  This  day  we  -dedicate  as  the  birth-day  of  freedom,  it  being 
the  fourth  of  July — the  day  that  our  fathers  declared  them- 
selves froe  and  independent  from  the  tyrannical  laws  of  this 
country.  After  many  years  hard  struggle,  and  the  loss  of 
many  of  our  fathers  and  friends,  America  was  acknowledged 
by  all  civilized  nations,  a  free  and  independent  government. 

'■  For  mary  years  our  fathers,  and  we,  their  offspring,  re- 
mained in  the  most  perfect  state  of  peace  and  tranquility,  and 
reaped  every  blessing  that  grows  on  the  soil  of  liberty  ;  Eng- 
land, ever  envying  us  the  honor  our  fathers  acquired  by  their 
valor  in  arms,  when  they  declared  that  themselves  and  their 
sons  should  no  longer  wear  the  yoke  of  tyranny.  Since  that 
time,  England  has  used  every  intrigue  to  deprive  us  of  the 
greatest  of  blessings.  First,  contrary  to  the  laws  of  civilized 
nations,  she  has  dragged  you  from  your  homes,  from  your 
wives,  your  families  end  friends,  into  her  infernal  bulwarks— 
her  ships  of  war ;  there,  after  suffering  every  degradation,  from 
the  terror  of  the  lash,  she  has  sent  you  to  the  most  horrid  pris- 
on in  compensation  for  your  long  and  faithful  services.  Eng- 
land, envying  the  happiness  our  countrymen  enjoyed  under  so 
mild  fi  government,  the  reverse  of  hor  own  tyrannical  laws, 
exerted  every  art  to  destroy  their  tranquility,  by  offering  insults 
to  the  United  States  ships  at  various  times,  impressing  and 
murdering  our  brother  seamen,  within  the  jurisdiction  of  our 
own  waters,  and  within  sight  of  our  capitol.  Our  country 
was  passive,  and  wishing  to  remain  at  peace  with  all  nations, 
bore  these  insults  with  a  fortitude  becoming  a  great  and  w<se 
people,  and  was  in  hope  that,  at  some  future  day,  Er  jland 
would  redress  those  injuries  in  a  fair  and  honorable  way.  But, 
contrary  to  every  expectation  for  years  before  the  war,  she 
grew  more  bold,  and  showed  a  disposition  to  add  injury  to  in- 
sult, by  issuing  orders  to  mako  prizes  of  all  American  vessels 
not  bound  to  her  own  ports  or  those  of  her  allies. 

6*  ,,-..-...., 


li 


1 


I 

'if' 


I 


54 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


"  All  nations  stood  amazed  to  see  our  country  insulted,  our 

seamen  impressed  and  murdered  within  our  own  waters ;  dur 

commerce  confined  and  completely  destroyed,  contrary  to  the 

laws  of  neutrality.     All  this  was  done  by  England,  and  she 

unprovoked.     Then,  fellow-citizens,  the  results  of  all  these  de- 

predations  must  be  a  formal  declaration  of  war,  which  could  no 

longer  be  delayed.     Our  counWy  then,  prudently  and  wisely, 

mustered  all  their  forces,  both  by  sea  and  land ;  England  stood 

ready  for  combat  fully  prepared,  and  with  the  fullest  assurance 

of  a  speedy  victory ;  but,  alas !  for  Englar»d ;  within  a  few 

weeks  after  the  declaration  of  war,  the  United  S*ates  frigate 

Constitution,  commanded  by  Captain  Isaac  Hull,  fell  in  with 

His  Majesty's  ship  Guerriere,  and  then  retaliated  for  one  insult 

by  sending  her  to  the  bottom.     Great  was  the  astonishment  of 

England. 

•'  Shortly  after,  the  U.  S.  ship  Wasp  fell  in  with  His  Ma- 
jesty's ship  Frolic,  of  far  superiof  force,  and  after  a  second 
retaliation,  she  acknowledged  her  country's  wrongs  by  strikinc 
her  colors  to  the  gallant  Jones.  " 

"The  officers  and  seamen  of  our  infant  navy  now  felt  the 
ardor  of  our  forefathers. 

"  Decatur,  in  the  frigate  United  States,  fell  in  with  a  vessel 
of  equal  force,  the  Macedonian,  the  pride  of  the  British  navy ; 
".id,  after  displaying  the  courage  of  injured   Americans,  he 
ook  and  brought  her  into  port. 

"  The  Constitution  shortly  after  took  her  station  alongside 
of  the  Java,  a  frigate  completely  fitted  and  manned  with  a 
superior  number  of  seamen  ;  and  again  did  the  god  of  battle 
decide  in  favor  of  the  injured  Americans,  a»^d  vsent  the  Java  to 
the  bottom.  The  tidings  had  scarcely  reached  the  American 
shore,  when  another  laurel  was  added  to  our  infant  navy ;  the 
United  States  ship  Hornet  engaged  His  Majesty's  ship  Pea- 
cock,  of  equal  fovce  ;  and  Capt.  Lawrence,  unwilling  to  make 
any  disiinction  between  her  and  the  Java,  sent  her  to  the  bot- 
tom, too. 

"  This  intelligence  had  scarcely  reached  the  shores  of 
liberty,  when  victories  were  proclaimed  from  all  directions. 

"The  British,  feeling  their  pride  wounded  by  the  great  ex- 
ploits of  our  undaunted  seamen,  fitted  out  the  Boxer,  xyith  the 
fullest  assurance  of  recovering  her  lost  honor,  and  were  confi- 
dent of  taking  our  brig  Enterprise,  of  much  inferior  force. 
But  Divine  Providence,  ever  extending  the  hand  of  assistance 


'  't 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


5!y 


to  the  injured,  decided  the  contest  in  lavor  of  our  insulf'd 
country ;  and  the  Boxer  was  captured  and  brought  safe  inta 
port,  in  the  United  States. 

"  Our  next  laurel  was  reaped  on  Lake  Erie,  by  Commodore 
Perry.     He  bravely  captured  all  the  naval  force  on  that  lake, . 
to  the  amazement  of  all  surrounding  nations,  and  the  disgrace 
of  the  British  flag. 

"  Commodore  Chauncey,  at  the  same  time,  had  a  complete 
ascendency  over  the  whole  British  force  on  Lake  Ontario ;, 
while  Commodore  Rodgers  is  traversing  the  ocean  in  every 
direction,  and  destroying  British  property  to  an  immense  value. 
The  United  States  ship  Essex  is  complete  master  of  all  the 
South  Seas,  in  defiance  of  all  the  boasted  superiority  of  the 
British.  The  United  States  ship  Congress  is  cruising  on  the 
coast  of  Brazil,  and  completely  intercepting  the  trade  of  Great 
Britain  to  all  Spanish  South  America,  and  defying  any  thing 
of  equal  size. 

"  And  now,  fellow-citizens,  this  country,  what  has  she  done  ? 
She  has  long  boasted  of  her  honor  and  her  bravdry ;  and  she 
has  issued  orders  to  her  frigates,  never  to  engage  an  American 
frigate  unless  under  cover  of  a  ship  ot  the  line.  She  has  like- 
wise endeavored  to  rouse  the  anger  of  the  savage  tribes  in  the 
*  wilderness  of  Canada,  to  murder  and  scalp  your  brethren  in 
arms,  in  that  country.  But  Divine  Providence,  still  assisting 
your  injured  country,  turned  the  ferocity  of  the  savages  against 
those  who  moved  them  to  anger,  and  their  vengeance  rrcoiled 
on  the  hand  that  attempted  to  use  it.  And  you,  fellow-'  zens, 
although  prisoners  of  war,  feel  the  benefit  of  belonging  so 
great  and  wise  a  nation.  Have  the  United  States  not  assisted 
us  in  our  utihappy  situation,  and  much  meliorated  our  suf- 
ferings, though  illy  able  while  carrying  on  so  expensive  a 
war? 

"And  now,  fellow-citizens,  I  conjure  you  to  be  patient,  and 
consider  your  country  to  be  using  her  utmost  endeavor  to 
bring  about  an  honorable  and  speedy  peace.  In  a  state  of  war, 
many  stories  are  circulated  in  this  country  favorable  to  her 
success  in  arms,  which  have  no  foundation  ;  and  this  is  done 
to  encourage  and  inspire  the  soldiery  to  enlist  in  her  wai-s  ;  and 
perhaps,  fellow-citizens,  many  of  you  may  honestly  believe  the 
reports,  but  let  them  not  make  you  despair  of  your  country. 
No,  depend  upon  it,  she  cannot  be  conquered.  England  may 
get  momentary  possession  of  one  small  city,  or  perhaps  ten, 


r. 


.:M;4 


■U 


■|PHM*HB«IPBMP«NPI 


56 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


but  America  is  not  conquered  till  every  man  is  either  taksD 
prisoner  or  killed. 

"  The  success  of  our  naval  arms  is  a  sufficient  proof,  and 
our  country  is  now  in  t.iumph  at  her  great  naval  success. 
Have  we  not  this  moment,  as  it  were,  heard  of  another  brilliant 
achievement  upon  the  ocean  ?  The  United  States  ship  Pea- 
cock,  on  her  first  cruise  after  she  \eh  the  stocks,  captured  and 
brought  into  port  His  Majesty's  ship  L'Epervier,  of  equal 
size,  with  immense  sums  of  silve;  and  much  treasure  on 
board  ? 

"  From  the  success  of  American  arms,  which  have  already 
astonished  our  enemies,  we  have  nothing  to  fear ;  and  we  have 
the  greatest  reason  to  believe  that  the  American  cause  is  big 
with  the  most  wonderful  achievements;  that  the  exploits  of 
our  countrymen  in  arms,  in  the  present  contest,  will  astonish 
all  nations,  and  be  recorded  oi^  the  pages  of  history,  and  retnain 
in  the  choicest  archives  of  posterity,  with  equal  glory  to  those 
of  Marathon  and  Thermopylaj.  i 

"  Fellow.prisoners,  let  us  then  be  resigned  to  our  present 
unhappy  condition ;  and  through  the  great  exertion  of  our 
country,  and  the  assistance  of  Divine  Providence,  who  disposes 
of  events  and  governs  futurity,  we  may  hope  once  more  to  re- 
visit our  native  country  in  an  honorable  peace,  and  live  happy 
and  free." 

Afler  the  oration  was  delivered,  the  officers  that  were  on  the 
walls  entered  the  prison  yard,  and  '  ':^>ressed  the  greatest  sur- 
prise that  we  should  entertain  a  hope  that  the  United  States 
would  be  successful  in  a  war  with  Great  Britain,  when  she 
was  at  peace  with  all  other  nations.  But  for  consolation  to  us 
in  our  present  condition,  we  might  rest  fully  assured  that  we 
should  be  released  in  a  very  short  time  by  a  peace,  which 
would  be  brought  about  by  their  conquerinjr  the  United  States, 
and  reducing  them  to  colonies  again;  an>i  such  a  change, 
which  must  shortly  take  place,  they  said  must  be  imputed  en- 
tirely to  the  bad  management  of  our  President  and  Congress : 
we  have  now  conquered  France,  and  America  must  be  con- 
quered next.  We  found  them  ignorant  of  the  strength  and  re- 
^urces  of  the  American  people  ;  we  gave  them  a  particular 
account  of  the  situation  of  America,  her  means  of  defence,  and 
the  spirit  and  determination  of  the  people;  the  great  supe- 
riority of  gunnery  which  the  American  seamen  possess   1  over 


OR   DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


57 


those  of  Great  Britain ;  ttie  truth  of  which  was  shown  in  the 
actions  of  the  Guerriere,  Frolic,  Java,  &c.,  &c. 

They  left  the  yard  much  chagrined  at  these  facts,  which 
they  could  not  deny ;  and  remarking  that  they  were  surprised 
to  find  sailors  so  well  acquainted  with  the  politics  of  hoth 
countries,  but  that  they  believed  they  must  be  most  of  them 
Englishmen  bom,  and  that  it  was  a  very  great  pity  His  Ma- 
jesty should  be  deprived  of  so  many  valuable  seamen. 

At  two  o'clock  we  sat  down  to  our  fourth  of  July  dinner, 
which  was  composed  of  soup  and  beef,  the  best  we  could  pre- 
pare. We  gathered  in  parties,  with  ohe  greatest  animation, 
conversing  of  our  President  and  Congress,  for  whom  we  sailors 
have  the  greatest  respect ;  and  Mr.  Madison,  particularly,  is  a 
great  favorite  of  sailors.  Afler  dinner  we  had  a  song,  which 
was  composed  for  the  occasion. 

The  day  was  passed  in  the  greatest  harmony ;  no  quarrel  or 
strife  occurred  to  mar  its  pleasure.  The  next  day  every  man 
resumed  his  occupation,  and  seemed  to  enjoy  a  negative  hap- 
piness, which  arose  froni  a  freedom  from  absolute  pain. 

On  the  eighth  of  this  month,  a  friend  of  mine  *br  whom  I 
had  much  respect,  died ;  and  at  his  burial  I  took  occasion  to 
survey  the  vast  tenements  of  the  dead,  and  consider,  within 
myself,  what  innumerable  multitudes  of  ^^eople  lay  confused 
together  on  this  moor ;  how  friends  and  enemies,  officers  and 
soldiers,  the  brave  and  the  coward,  collected  from  all  quarters 
of  the  globe,  of  all  nations,  and  of  all  colors,  lay  undistinguished 
in  one  common  mass  of  matter ;  and  not  a  stone  to  name  one 
tenant  of  the  tomb. 

Afler  having  surveyed  this  great  magazine  of  mortality  as  it 
were,  in  the  lump,  out  of  respect  to  my  friend,  I  searched  about 
and  obtained  a  very  slaty  stone,  on  which  I  inscribed  the  fol- 
lowing words  : 

Here   lies   the   body   of 

JAMES  HART, 

A  native  of  the  United  States  of 

America, 

Who  departed  this  life  July  Sth,  1814. 


■:;!J 


« 


58 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


Under  which  was  the  following  epitaph  ; 

Your  country  mourna  your  hapless  fate ; 
So  mourn  wo  prisoners  all ; 
You've  paid  the  debt  we  all  must  pay, 
Each  sailor,  great  and  small. 

Your  body  on  this  barren  moor, — 

Your  soul  in  Heaven  doth  rest, 

Where  Yankee  sailors,  one  and  all, 

•Hereafter  will  be  blest.  " 

Tho  agent  permitted  us  to  put  this  stone  up,  and  of  the  many 
thousands  that  lay  indiscriminately  mingled  together  upon  this 
moor,  this  stone  recorded  the  only  syllable  of  the  dead  buried 
here.  The  life  of  these  men  is  finely  described  in  Holy  Writ 
by  the  path  of  an  arrow,^  which  is  immediately  closed  up  and 
lost. 

We  received  our  monthly  pay  as  usual,  and  nothing  re- 
markable occurred  during  the  remainder  of  the  month ;  fe^v 
persons  aVrived,  but  we  had  expectation  of  a  great  number. 
The  weather  was  rainy  and  cold  ;  the  prisoners  generally 
healthy;  few  died,  but  the  prison  was  very  much  crowded, 
there  being  1,500  in  No.  4. 

At  the  commencement  of  August,  a  draft  of  prisoners  ar- 
rived,  who  had  been  recently  captured  on  the  coast  of  Europe, 
among  whom  were  four  men  lately  belonging  to  the  private 
armed  schooner  Surprise,  of  Baltimore  ;  these  four  men,  on  their 
first  arrival  at  this  depot,  were  put  into  close  confinement  in  the 
cachot,  there  to  remain  on  two-thirds  allowance,  without  ham- 
mock or  bed,  sleeping  on  the  stone  floor,  during  their  whole 
imprisonment.  When  the  cause  of  their  confinement  was 
known,  it  seems  it  had  grown  out  of  the  following  circum- 
stances : 

The  Surprise  was  cruising  in  the  channel  of  England,  and 
fell  in  with,  and  captured,  a  schooner,  and  put  on  board  her 
these  four  men,  to  take  charge  of  the  prize. 

Shortly  after,  the  prize  was  recaptured  by  an  English  fri- 
gate, and,  after  taking  possession  of  her,  found  stowedaway  in 
the  round-house  (which  is  a  few  feet  above  the  deck)  a  cask  of 
powder,  which  contained  but  a  few  pounds  at  mostj  and  on 
examination  ihey  found  part  of  a  match  and  a  candle ;  the  cap- 
tain of  the  frigate,  being  suspicious  of  these  four  men's  having 
an  intention  to  blow  the  vessel  up,  took  them  and  committed 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


59 


them  to  close  conAnement  until  he  arrived  in  England  ;  he  then 
reported  them  to  the  Board  of  Trans{)ort,  and  delivered  them 
into  their  custody,  and  they,  from  these  suspicious  circum- 
stances,  sentenced  them  to  the  punishment  above  mentioned. 
Whether  the  crime,  had  it  been  well  proved,  would  warrant 
so  rigorous  a  punishment,  is  not  the  subject  of  investigation ; 
they  had  the  power  to  treat  them  as  they  pleased,  nor  had  the 
sufferers  any  redress,  for,  inter  armis  lages  silent^  "  the  laws 
are  silent  amid  arms." 

On  the  arrival  of  these  prisoners,  Capt.  Shortland  opened  the 
south  yard  of  the  enclosure,  and  gave  all  the  officers  liberty  to 
go  into  No.  6.  A  few  days  after,  a  habeas  corpus  ad  testiji. 
candum  was  awaixled  to  bring  forward  six  prisoners,  to  appear 
and  give  evidence  in  the  cause  of  Thomas  Hill,  then  depend- 
ing at  the  next  Exeter  assizes,  who  was  charged  with-  man- 
slaughter for  killing  James  Henry  on  the  third  of  July.  The 
termination  of  t!.e  trial,  I  shall  give  in  a  subsequent  page. 

The  prisoners  having  no  expectation  or  hope  of  exchange, 
or  a  peace,  now  set  about  contriving  a  method  of  escape,  some- 
thing of  which  we  hinted  at  in  a  preceding  page.  The  plan 
was  to  dig  out  of  prison  No.  6.  The  plan  was  made  known 
to  the  prisoners  in  No.  4,  who  were  expecting  to  be  removed 
into  No.  6  in  a  few  days,  when  they  would  have  access  to 
Nos.  5,  6,  and  7,  which  were  contained  in  one  yard.  To 
have  the  plan  circulated  with  the  greatest  secrecy  that  would 
obtain  the  opinion  of  all  the  prisoners,  without  the  suspicion  of 
the  guards  or  officers,  it  was  thought  best  to  have  it  done  in 
poetry,  and  accordingly  it  was  done  in  that  manner.  This  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  prisoners,  and  we  soon  found  the 
intention  of  each  man  to  favor  the  plan. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  August,  the  six  men  whom  we  mentioned 
in  the  preceding  page,  were  taken  to  Exeter,  returned,  and 
with  them  Thomas  Hill,  who  was  acquitted  by  the  jury,  and 
he  remanded  to  Dartmoor  as  a  prisoner  of  war. 

The  same  day  arrived  a  large  draft  of  prisoners,  who  had 
been  sent  from  Halifax  prison  on  board  the  transport  ship  Ben- 
sen.  These  persons,  on  their  passage,  attempted  to  rise  and 
take  the  ship,  in  which  attempt  a  sharp  contest  ensued,  and  the 
struggle  was  for  sonfie  time  doubtful,  but  the  American  priso- 
ners were  overpowered,  and  afterwards  treated  with  the 
greatest  severity  and  cruelty.  In  the  engagement  several  on 
both  sides  were  severely  wounded,  but  none  killed  or  mortally 


1'-  '^ 


i 


-^ 


00 


THE    prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


woiinded.  Some  of  the  prisoners  were  taken  out  and  put  on 
board  the  ship  Commodore,  and  the  remainder  confined  in  the 
ooal'hole,  and  kept  on  bread  and  water  for  several  days. 

These  prisoners  were  put  into  No.  6,  which  now  made 
about  eight  hundred  in  that  prison,  and  about  twelve  hundred 
in  No.  4,  who  were  not  yet  removed. 

We  finding  our  number  increasing  daily,  and  no  prospect  of 
peace  or  exchange,  now  determined  to  put  in  execution  our 
projected  plan  of  escape ;  every  prisoner  being  willing,  and 
not  a  dissenting  voice  among  the  whole,  we  mustered  a  num- 
ber of  bibles  in  each  prison,  and  began  to  solemnly  swear  every 
man  to  keep  secret  every  transaction  he  should  see  or  know  of 
concerning  the  operation  then  about  to  be  begun ;  when  a  man 
was  sworn,  he  was  strictly  cautioned  and  charged  not  to  make 
known,  by  word  or  sign,  in  any  way  whatever,  anything 
which  might  lead  to  a  discovery  of  their  design,  on  pain  of  im- 
mediate  death  in  a  private  and  secret  manner,  which  would 
most  assuredly  take  place  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
keepers. 

Afler  they  were  all  sworn,  and  the  fixed  determination 
of  hanging  the  first  informer,  a  number  of  confidential  persons 
were  appointed  as  spies,  to  watch  the  conduct  of  others.  We 
also  appointed  other  tr'usty  men  to  watch  the  movements  of  the 
turnkeys  and  sentries,  and  see  that  the  prisoners  held  no  con- 
versation with  either  of  them.  We  then  divided  ourselves  into 
parties  to  work,  and  who  were  alternately  to  dig  and  relieve 
each  other. 

'  After  taking  a  correct  survey  of  the  ground,  measuring  and 
making  it  out,  and  taking  the  course,  on  the  twentieth  we  made 
a  beginning  in  both  prisons,  and  dug  directly  down.  In  this 
perpendicular  direction  we  must  sink  our  work  twenty  feet, 
which  -would  come  on  a  horizontal  plane  with  the  road. 
On  this  horizontal  plane  we  must  then  pursue  the  work, 
in  an  eastern  direction,  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  which 
distance  would  carry  us  beyond  the  outer  wall  and  under 
all  the  foundations  \Chich  extended  below  the  surface  of  the 
earth  about  six  feet ;  if  this  work  were  performed  we  should 
then  have  a  passage  into  the  road.  The  digging  could  be  car- 
ried  on  with  very  little  difficulty  :  but  the  great  obstacle  before 
us  was  to  convey  away  the  dirt,  and  this,  on  a  little  considera- 
tion,  seemed  to  vanish  when  we  considered  the  stream  of  wa- 
ter in  the  yard,  which  passed  under  the  prison  at  the  rate  of 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


61 


four  miles  an  hour ;  into  this  stream  we  threw  great  quanti- 
ties of  fine  dirt,  which  passed  off.  We,  as  another  means  to 
get  clear  of  the  dirt,  obtained  permission  to  bring  into  the 
prison  a  large  quantity  of  lime,  under  the  pretence  of  white- 
washing  the  walls  of  the  prison. 

These  walls  were  made  of  large  rough  stone,  and  every 
night  we  made  of  the  dirt  a  sort  of  morter,  and  plastered  on 
the  walls,  and  then  white- washed  it  over. 

No.  5  prison  containing  no  prisoners,  and  not  being  visited 
by  the  keepers,  we  thought  best  to  begin  a  similar  operation  in 
that  prison,  as  we  could  pass  and  repass  into  it  unknown  to 
the  keepers.  In  this  we  commenced  digging  in  the  day-time, 
and  found  a  hollow  place  under  the  prison  to  stow  the  dirt 
away. 

In  these  three  different  places  we  made  our  attacks,  aiid 
very  rightly  supposing,  that  if  one  should  be  discovered,  that 
we  should  still  have  another,  which  we  could  proceed  in  with- 
out suspicion  ;  we  were  apprehensive  that  the  run  of  water, 
which  passed  through  an  iron  grating  at  the  outlet,  might  get 
stopped  with  the  dirt,  and  lead  to  a  discovery.  We  hastened 
on  the  work,  every  man  as  busy  as  a  bee,  and  flushed  with  the 
hope  and  full  belief  that  we  should  shortly  make  our  escape. 

At  the  close  of  the  month,  we  h&d  dug  toward  the  wall  in  a 
horizontal  direction  forty  feet,  without  the  least  suspicion.  As 
we  entered  so  far  under  ground  we  found  a  want  of  fresh  air, 
and  to  remedy  this,  we  contrived  a  lamp  to  keep  burning  in 
the  hole,  that  would  expel  all  the  axotic  gas,  or  dead  air,  and 
bring  in  a  constant  supply  of  fresh. 

I  must  digress  fop  a  moment,  to  give  an  account  of  some 
events  which  took  place  during  this  operation. 

In  the  meanwhile  a  number  of  prisoners  arrived  ;  some  from 
Chatham,  some  from  the  West  Indies,  and  from  other  places. 
These,  as  soon  as  they  arrived,  were  made  acquainted  with  our 
design  and  operations,  and  sworn  and  charged  as  the  others  had 
been.  Among  these  prisoners  was  the  crew  of  the  United  States 
brig^  Frolic.  These  prisoners  were  destitute  of  clothing,  and  in 
a  very  bad  state  of  health,  which  was  occasioned  by  being  so 
very  closely  confined  during  the  passage,  and  their  allowance 
so  very  short.  During  the  month  we  had  great  quantities  of 
rain,  which  was  very  favorable  to  our  operations.  The  pris- 
one'  3  were  now  more  healthy  than  they  had  been  before  since 
our  confinement.     Those  who  had  been  sick  for  some  time 

6 


63 


THE   PRISONERS'   MEMOIRS, 


died.     Those  who  had  been  here  a  long  time  iiad  become  used 
to  the  hardships,  but  new  comers  were  sickly. 

On  the  last  day  of  August,  our  subterraneoub  passage  was 
sixty  feet  from  No.  5,  and  about  the  same  from  No.  6,  and  No. 
4  nearly  equal.  The  dirt  being  very  loose,  and  but  few  stones 
to  obstruct  our  way,  our  passage  seemed  short,  and  promised 
success. 

Septembe*  having  commenced,  and  no  suspicion  or  discovery 
as  yet  made,  although  the  prisons  were  searched  every  day  by 
the  keepers ;  but  the  holes  being  very  small,  and  so  nicely 
closed  every  day,  that  it  would  require  the  minutest  search  to 
discover  the  place  ;  but  the  hole  was  larger  under  ground,  and 
would  admit  four  men  to  work  abreast. 

But,  to  our  great  mortification,  on  the  second,  Capt.  Shortland 
entered  the  prison  with  the  guards,  and  went  directly  towards 
the  hole,  and  as  he  passed,  he  informed  us  that  he  knew  of  our 
operations  in  No.  5,  but  his  informer  had  not  told  him  correctly, 
for  afler  a  long  search,  they  could  not  discover  the  hole.  \ 

It  was  then  suggested  by  his  attendants  to  sound  the  prison ; 
they  then  began  with  crow-bars  to  sound,  and  after  having 
made  the  minutest  examination,  by  accident  found  the  entrance, 
to  the  great  mortification  of  every  man. 

They  undertook  to  enter  the  hole,  but  after  entering  a  few 
feet,  their  lights  went  out,  and  they  could  not  keep  them  burn- 
ing ;  and  being  unacquainted  with  the  materials,  and  method 
used  by  us  to  light  the  hole  and  expel  the  dead  air,  could  not 
penetrate  to  the  extent,  nor  did  they  ever  enter  near  all  the 
distance. 

They  were  no  less  astonished  to  conceive  what  had  become 
of  the  dirt  taken  from  the  passage,  and  it  ever  remained  a 
great  mystery  to  them. 

Every  man  was  strictly  cautioned,  should  any  discovery  take 
place,  not  to  give  any  account  whatever  of  the  means  they 
had  c  de  use  of  to  light  the  hole,  or  how  they  had  disposed  of 
the  dirt;  and  when  they  were  strictly  examined  by  the  officers, 
they  gave  no  other  answer,  than  that  each  man  eat  his  proper- 
tiop,  to  make  up  his  scant  allowance. 

To  prevent  any  further  operation  of  this  kind,  Gapt.  Short- 
land  had  every  prisoner  removed  from  the  yard  which  encloses 
No.  5,  6,  and  7,  into  the  enclosure  on  the  north  side,  which 
contained  No.  1 ,  2,  and  3 ;  but  having  no  suspicions  of  any 
attempts  to  escape  in  No.  4,  they  let  the  prisoners  there  remain. 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


63 


After  the  prisoners  were  removed  from  the  other  two  prisons, 
they  filled  the  entrance  of  the  hole  up  with  stone :  they  8up> 
posed  these  were  not  eatable. 

We  remained  in  No.  2  till  the  eighth,  when  we  were  again 
removed  to  the  south  side,  on  account  of  prison  No.  2  being 
out  of  repair.  This  gave  us  fresh  hopes.  As  the  noise  had 
not  yet  entirely  got  silent,  we  thought  best  to  stop  all  operationa 
in  No.  4  for  the  present. 

In  the  mean  while,  our  court  of  judicature  was  sitting,  and 
several  persons  were  arraigned  at  the  bar,  and  charged  with 
having  given  information  of  our  desigti  to  escape;  all  the  evi- 
dence against  them  was  produced,  but  the  crime  being  of  a 
capital  nature  by  our  laws,  required  positive  and  direct  evi- 
dence, which  the  court  considered  had  not  been  produced  ;  and 
although  very  strong  circumstantial  evidence  had  been  given, 
yet  they  considered  that  such  evidence  ought  never  to  take  a 
man's  life,  which  must  have  been  the  case  had  any  one  been 
found  guilty. 

We  afterwards,  believed  it  must  have  been  accidental ;  that 
some  person  had  spoken  too  loud,  or  in  an  unguarded  manner 
in  the  presence  of  the  turnkeys ;  for  we  fonud  no  discovery 
had  been  made  of  the  operations  in  No.  4  or  5,  although  Capt. 
Shortland  had  declared  himself  to  be  acquainted  with  them  in 
No.  5. 

After  the  bustle  of  the  discovery  had  a  little  blown  over, 
and  the  officers  and  keepers  had  ridiculed  the  futile  idea  of  our 
making  our  escape,  by  saying  they  had  guards  and  spies  in  all 
directions  ;  we  then  gave  orders  to  the  blacks  in  No.  .4  to  pro- 
ceed on  with  their  work.  At  this  time,  the  10th,  a  draft  of 
prisoners  arrived  from  Chatham ;  these  were  mostly  men  de- 
livered up  from  ships  of  war  in  England,  and  some  few  were 
sent  from  the  West  Indies,  Bermuda,  and  New  Providence. — 
This  draft  increased  the  number  of  prisoners  at  this  depot  to 
three  thousand  five  hundred  in  all. 

When  these  men  arrived,  we  were  under  great  apprehensions 
that  they  would  be  ordered  into  No.  5,  and  in  the  hurry  and 
bustle  of  entering,  before  they  were  cautioned,  might  lead  to 
a  discovery  of  the  work  in  that  prison  ;  but  happily,  they 
were  ordered  into  No.  7,  and  all  the  white  prisoners  from  No. 
4  ordered  in  with  them  ;  and  all  the  blacks  were  now  to  be  kept 
by  themselves. 

They  were  directed  to  proceed  as  we  mentioned  before,  and 


jl  ■ 


64 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


to  report  progress  every  evening.  As  the  hole  in  No.  6  was 
farthest  advanced,  we  fornned  a  cnnimunication  to  let  each 
other  know  their  progress  each  day,  that  all  the  holes  might 
proceed  with  equal  progress,  and  come  out  at  the  same  time. 

With  this  arrangement  we  proceeded  on,  and  on  the  IWth, 
in  No.  6,  we  dug  down,  and  the  next  day  had  gone  quite  round 
the  stones  which  were  thrown  in  to  fill  up  the  entrance  of  the 
hole,  and  came  out  into  the  former  passage :  this  was  done  in 
the  night,  and  in  the  day  time  we  carried  on  the  work  in  No. 
5,  disposing  of  the  dirt  as  before. 

(The  work  went  on  with  the  greatest  care,  secrecy  and 
success,  and  every  man  was  animated  with  the  liveliest 
hope  of  soon  gaining  his  liberty,  till  each  hole  had  come  within 
thirty-five  or  forty  feet  of  the  intended  place  of  coming  out. 

We  could  always  ascertain  the  distance  we  were  from  the 
top  of  the  ground  by  measuring  with  our  line  and  rule,  and 
had  concluded  to  work  that  distance  in  one  week :  every  man 
was  now  provided  with  a  dagger,  made  by  prisoners  who 
worked  at  black-smithing. 

When  the  work  was  complete,  we  were  to  make  our  move 
some  dark  stormy  night  at  the  hour  of  ten,  which  would  give 
every  man  who  wished,  an  opportunity  to  reach  Torbay,  about 
ten  miles  distant,  at  which  place  lay  a  large  number  of  unarmed 
vessels,  fishing  boats  and  other  small  craft ;  we  could  reach 
this  place  a  little  after  midnight,  and  then  proceed  as  fast  as 
possible  for  France ;  on  leaving  the  outlet  of  the  passage  every 
man  was  to  seperate  and  take  care  of  himself.  When  we 
were  onpe  out,  we  had  determined  to  reach  France  or  sell  our 
lives  at  the  dearest  rate ;  for,  by  this  time,  life  was  of  little 
consequence  to  us,  when  we  compared  it  to  the  miseries  we 
must  suflfer,  if  we  should  be  brought  back,  and  therefore  we 
were  determined  to  hazard  it  at  all  events. 

But  I  hasten  from  our  future  resolutions  to  relieve  the  reader 
from  his  anxiety,  by  showing  the  event. 

At  this  moment,  when  every  man  was  well  pleased  with  the 
prospect,  how  was  his  just  indignation  raised,  and  his  fierce 
anger  kindled  ! — a  man  by  the  name  of  *Bagley,  another  Sinon, 
walked  out  in  the  open  day,  before  all  the  prisoners  then  in  the 
yard,  went  up  to  the  turnkeys  and  marched  off  with  them  to 
the  keeper's  house,  gave  him  information  of  all  the  operations 


*  This  man  belonged  to  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 


m 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


66 


and  designs,  and  we  never  saw  him  after ;  for  oould  we  have 
catched  him,  we  should  scarcely  have  tried  him,  but  should 
have  torn  him  in  atoms  before  the  life  could  have  time  to  leave 
his  traitorous  body. 

This  Judas  received  the  price  of  his  iniquity  from  the  Tran- 
sport Board,  and  got  a  passport  to  go  where  he  pleased,  and  the 
public's  humble  servant  put  into  the  cachot; — but  I  can  tell 
him,  should  this  work  ever  reach  his  infamous  hand,,  that  it  is 
the  sincere  wish  of  every  prisoner,  that  he  may  fall,  and  like 
that  other  Judas,  his  bowels  may  gush  out. 

The  prisoners  were  then  immediately  removed  to  the  north 
side  of  the  enclosure,  and  confined  to  No.  1  and  3  ;  and  to  re- 
pair  the  damages  which  had  been  done  to  the  prisons,  Capt. 
Shortland  put  fivery  man  on  two  thirds  allowance,  and  took  tne 
the  other  third  to  pay  expenses  of  repair ;  this  he  did  for  ten 
days  successively ;  if  we  had  eaten  the  dirt  up,  we  had  to 
starve  it  back  again. 

Our  hopes  were  all  blown  up  to  the  moon,  and  we  left 
to  despair ;  we  had  no  prospect  by  which  we  could  hope  to  be 
relieved,  but  every  thing  seemed  to  threaten  us  with  imprison- 
ment for  life.  We  again  resigned  ourselves  to  our  situation, 
and  placed  all  c^r  hopes  of  life  and  liberty  on  that  Almighty 
arm,  which  lad  brought  us  to  these  sufferings  by  His  Divine 
pleasure.  Every  man  with  reluctance  now  returns  to  his  usual 
occupation,  hoping  to  gain  a  few  articles  of  clothing,  which 
he  stood  in  need  of.  The  shoes  furnished  by  Mr.  Beasley, 
which  were  tKe  poorest  that  could  be  made  in  England,  were 
now  worn  out,  and  we  needed  others. 

It  was  reported  among  the  prisoners,  that  an  exchange  was 
about  to  take  place ;  but  as  we  hSd  no  account  to  that  effect 
from  Mr.  Beasley,  we  could  plac?  no  dependence  on  it ;  the 
only  hope  we  had  was  bribing  the  guards,  and  that  of  peace. 

By  letters  from  Plymouth,  we  had  information  that  an  action 
had  been  fought  between  the  Essex,  Capt.  Porter,  and  the 
British  frigate  Phebe,  Capt.  Hillier,  and  a  sloop  of  war.  The 
action  was  long  and  severe,  and  much  blood  spilt  on  both  sides ; 
and  although  the  Essex  was  taken,  the  honour  of  the  day  be- 
longed to  the  Americans.  She  fought  under  every  disadvan- 
tage, and  gallantly  stood  the  fire  of  both  the  e  jemy's  vessels, 
and  bore  hard  for  a  victory,  till  chance ,  decided  against  her. 
The  magnaminity  of  the  officers  and  crew  commands  the  no- 
blest sentiments  of  respect  from  every  American ;  they  de- 


.i'  I, 


!■> 


66 


THE   prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


served  no  common  meed  of  praise ;  ^  therefore  undertook  to 
celebrate  their  valorous  deeds  in  verse. 

A  large  draft  of  prisoners,  from  Chatham,  arrived  at  this 
place  the  latter  end  of  this  month ;  among  them  were  great 
numbers  of  men  vk^ho  had  Deen  detained  on  board  His  Majesty's 
ships  from  eight  to  twelve  years,  and  one  who  had  been  de- 
tained eighteen  years.  The  greatest  part  of  this  draft  .were 
men  who  had  been  delivered  up  from  the  navy  ;  they  were  col- 
lected at  Chatham,  and  brought  round  by  water  to  Plymouth, 
landed,  and  then  ordered  to  prepare  to  march  for  Dartmoor 
prison,  the  sufferings  of  which  they  had  long  been  acquainted 
with,  by  report ;  but  previous  to  their  departure,  they,  antici- 
pating their  treatment  there,  prepared  the  following  motto,  in 
capitals,  and  fixed  it  to  the  fore  part  of  their  hats :  "  British 
gratitude  for  past  services."  With  this  on  their  hats,  they 
marched  the  distance  of  eighteen  miles.  During  the  march, 
the  officers  tried  every  mean::  to  persuade  them  to  take  it  ofl^ 
but  they  absolutely  refused,  saying  it  was  truth,  and,  as  pris- 
oners of  war,  they  had  a  just  cause  to  complain  of  the  treat- 
ment and  ingratitude  of  a  government  which  they  had  so  long 
served.  They  insisted  that  it  was  cruelty  to  make  them  pris- 
oners, after  they  had  served  so  many  years  as  good  and  faith- 
ful  servants ;  and  it  was  mud  more  ungrateful  now  to  send 
them  to  the  worst  prison  in  England,  as  a  compensation  for 
their  long  and  faithful  services. 

The  garrison  was  now  reinforced  by  a  large  number  of  sol- 
diers, and  the  prisoners  separated  ;  the  whites  in  the  north  and 
south  wing,  occupying  two  prisons  in  each  yard,  and  the  blacks 
one  in  the  centre.  The  prisoners  were  not  permitted  to  have  in- 
tercourse with  one  another  from  the  different  prisons,  except 
on  Sundays. 

The  number  being  now  very  large,  it  was  feared  they  would 
rise,  and  take  possession  of  the  guard-house,  and  then  mak^ 
their  escape.  They  had  some  ground  to  fear  the  event  might 
take  place,  for  the  prisoners  did  not  consider  these  walls,  nor 
the  soldiers,  any  very  great  obstacle  in  the  accomplishment  of 
such  an  undertaking,  had  it  been  their  design.  But  they  knew 
very  well  the  consequence  of  doing  this;  ^'though,  on nhe  first 
sortiCt  the'  officers,  soldiers  and  guards,  must  fall  into  their 
power,  yet  as  the  prisoners  must  all  march  in  a  body  to  keep 
them  under,  the  alarm  would  spread  over  all  England,  and  the 
militia  be  raised  upon  them,  before  they  would  be  able  to  reach 
the  sea-coast  and  take  shipping. 


OR   DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


«7 


Cap^  Shortland  was  in  daily  fear  of  such  an  attack,  for 
there  was  scarce  a  day  but  some  dispute  or  strife  took  place 
between  the  turnkeys  or  guards  and  the  prisoners,  and  kept  a 
continual  alarm.  The  prisoners  would  not  hear  any  abusive 
language  against  the  President  of  the  United  States ;  and  on 
the  first  disrespec-iful  word  from  a  sentry,  stationed*  singly  in 
the  yard,  they  would  knock  him  down,  and  he  could  get  no 
relief  till  they  were  willing  to  release  him,  for  the  prisoners 
immediately  surrounded  him  by  hundreds ;  and  the  garrison 
declared  that  they  had  more  trouble  with  four  thousand  Ameri- 
cans than  they  shoulr*  have  with  twenty  thousand  Frenchmen. 

On  the  last  day  of  this  month,  another  draft  arrived,  among 
whom  were  the  crew  of  the  United  States  brig  Rattlesnake  and 
some  others,  sent  from  Halifax. 

The  prisoners  became  sickly  again,  and  upwards  of  one  hun- 
dred in  the  hospital ;  but  they  had  much  better  attendance  than 
before,  having  now  a  new  surgeon.  Dr.  Magratb,  to  superin- 
tend that  department ;  he  was  a  humane,  skilful  and  attentive 
man,  and  a  friend  to  the  sick  and  distressed  prisoner.  I  know 
of  nothing  more  agreeable  to  the  human  feelings  than  the  pre- 
sence of  a  friend  by  our  sick-bed  ;  and  this  man  administered 
more  of  the  medicine  of  life  by  the  sympathetic  emotions  of  his 
heart  than  all  the  anodynes  in  the  apothecary's  shop. 

We  had  much  rain  and  stormy  weather  during  the  month  of 
September.  One  tedious  month  had  now  passed  by,  and 
another  lay  in  hopeless  prospect  before  us ;  but  our  hopes 
were  a  little  revived  on  the  second  of  October  by  a  letter  which 
we  received  from  Mr.  Beasley,  informing  us  that  a  partial  ex- 
change would  take  place  between  the  two  countries.  This  ex- 
change would  extend  to  none  but  those  taken  in  the  United 
States  vessels ;  this  letter  was  to  inform  the  crew  of  the  Argus 
more  particularly,  as  they  were  the  oldest  prisoners  taken  in 
the  United  States  service.  The  same  letter  gave  general  in- 
formation that  there  was  great  prospects  of  a  speedy  peace  be- 
tween the  two  belligerants. 

Several  persons  made  their  escape  by  bribing  the  sentries  after 
this  news,  and  passing  out  in  the  night,  with  a  soldier's  coat 
and  cap  on,  under  his  protection.  But  this  method  was  dis- 
covered and  stopped,  and  eight  only  were  able  to  make  their 
escape  by  it. 

We  received  the  account  of  the  United  States  ship  " Tasp 


if. 


% 


Hi 


■NH 


68 


THE    FBISONERS'    MEMOIRS, 


If:  MM 

III 


sinking  the  Reindeer  and  Avon.  The  particulars  seemed  too 
galling  to  their  feelings  to  publish.  After  reading  the  account 
in  the  London  paper,  I  composed  a  dirge,  and  put  it  up  on  the 
front  of  the  prison,  in  full  sight  of  all  the  soldier-officers  and 
guards,  as  a  tribute  of  respect  to  departed  worthies  of  His  Ma- 
jesty's navy. 

Almost  every  draft  of  prisoners  brought  intelligence  of  new 
victories  of  the  Americans  by  sea,  and  every  British  paper  was 
filled  with  complaints  of  American  privateers  destroying  Brit- 
ish property  in  their  own  waters,  and  in  sight  of  their  cities. 
The  prisoners,  being  animated  with  the  success  of  the  arms  of 
their  country,  could  not  forbear  expressing  their  joy  in  some 
pleasant  feat.  The  following  anecdote  has  something  of  the 
features  of  the  attack  of  Don  Quixotte  on  the  wind-milj.  The 
prisoners,  the  night  after  the  news  of  the  Was;;^,  took  a  jacket 
at  twelve  at  night,  lowered  it  down  towards  the  ground  along 
the  rope  of  the  prison  ;  the  soldiers  saw  it,  and  concluded  it 
must  be  a  man  sliding  down  the  rope  to  make  his  escape  ;  the 
alarm  was  given,  and  Capt.  Shortland  and  all  the  soldiers-offi- 
cers at  the  head  of  the  picket,  entered,  and  hailed  the  man  on  the 
rope,  but  no  answer;  they  then  drew  themselves  up  in  martial 
array,  and  every  man  sat  his  teeth  and  screwed  his  courage  up 
to  the  sticking  place,  ready  for  battle  ;  Capt.  Shortland,  an  ex- 
perienced officer,  gave  orders  to  fire,  and  instantly  a  volley  of 
musketry  was  poured  in  upon  the  enemy,  and  down 'came  the 
jacket ;  they  rushed  in  upon  it,  and,  to  their  astonishment,  they 
had  conquered  a  jacket. 

The  keepers  who  had  been  so  insolent  the  day  before,  by 
wishing  Mr.  Madison  in  the  prison,  now  showed  great  resent- 
ment, and  gave  themselves  many  airs  upon  the  occasion.  The 
soldiers  discovered  a  cauule  burning  in  the  prison,  and  called 
aloud,  *'■'  put  out  that  candle ;"  but  the  order  not  being  instantly 
obeyed,  they  discharged  a  volley  through  the  window  ;  but  a 
divine  interposition  of  goodness  seemed  to  direct  the  balls,  for 
every  one  lodged  in  some  part  of  the  hammocks,  which  almost 
formed  a  solid  column,  and  not  a  single  man  hurt  or  touched, 
though  asleep  in  the  hammocks.  The  next  morning  I  thought 
the  battle  with  the  jacket  and  the  attack  on  the  sleeping  pris- 
oners deserved  to  be  celebrated  in  some  signal  way,,  and  sung 
like  the  deeds  of  the  gallant  Quixotte. 

It  had  been  remarked  by  the  prisoners  that,  about  the  time 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


69 


jmed  too 
i  account 
ip  on  the 
cers  and 
His  Ma- 

3  of  new 
aper  was 
ing  Brit. 
ir  cities, 
arms  of 
in  some 
ig  of  the 
IJ.  The 
a  jacket 
id  along 
iluded  it 
ipe  ;  the 
liers-offi. 
in  on  the 
1  martial 
J rage  up 
1,  an  ex- 
^oUey  of 
ame  the 
mt,  they 

fore,  by 
t  resent. 
I.  The 
d  called 
nstantly 
;  but  a 
alls,  for 
1  almost 
ouched, 
thought 
pris- 
sung 


I 


le  time 


of  some  reverse  of  the  arms  of  the  enemy,  the  keepers  treated 
them  with  much  greater  severity,  and  seemed  to  wish  to  wreak 
their  vengeance  in  retaliation  on  the  prisoners. 

On  the  eighteenth,  orders,  together  with  a  list  names,  came 
to  discharge  sixty-two  of  the  crew  of  the  late  United  States 
brig  Frolic,  who  had  been  exchanged,  and  were  to  repair  im- 
mediately  to  Dartmouth,  thirty  miles  from  the  depot,  to  go  on 
board  the  cartel  Janey,  then  lying  at  that  place  with  the  greater 
part  of  her  number,  which  consisted  of  prisoners  late  belonging 
to  the  United  States  navy  and  army. 

Those  sixty-two  of  the  Frolic  were  obliged  to  carry  the  bag- 
gage  themselves  or  leave  it  behind,  for  they  wiere  allowed  no 
means  to  transport  it.  Twelve  miles  of  the  distance  is  water 
carriage ;  the  other  .eighteen  is  land — this  distance  they  had  to 
march  on  foot ;  they  received  a  shilling  each  man,  and  one 
day's  provision,  at  the  commencement  of  the  journey. 

By  letters  from  Plymouth,  we  received  intelligence  that 
another  cartel,  the  St.  Philip,  was  preparing  to  take  on  board 
part  of  her  complement  at  that  place,  then  to  proceed  to  Dart- 
mouth, and  receive  the  crew  of  the  late  United  States  brig  Ar- 
gus,  and  her  officers,  and  non-combatants  from  Ashburton.  The 
same  letters  informed  us  that  all  the  prisoners  in  England,  then 
nearly  five  thousand,  would  shortly  be  removed  to  this  prison  ; 
and,  accordingly,  at  the  latter  end  of  this  month  they  all  were 
removed  to  this  depot,  and  made,  with  some  few  lately  from 
sea,  five  thousand  and  twenty.  They  were  badly  prepared  to 
stand  the  inclemency  of  the  approaching  season ;  they 
were  all  miserably  clothed,  and  the  shoes  they  had  received 
from  Mr.  Beasley  lasted  but  a  few  weeks,  and  they  were  now 
quite  destitute  and  very  sickly,  and  the  weather  cold  and  stormy 
for  several  days  together.  On  the  third  we  rieceived  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Beasley,  informing  us  that  his  clerk,  Mr.  Williams, 
was  on  his  way  from  London  to  this  place  with  clothing,  which 
he  would  distribute  among  the  prisoners  captured  since  the 
middle  of  last  May,  and  to  those  captured  before  that  date  he 
would  deliver  one  shirt  and  one  pair  of  shoes  and  stockings, 
which  should  be  their  supply  for  nine  months.  The  old  pris- 
oners stated  their  situation  to  Mr.  Beasley,  by  letter,  at  the 
same  date,  and  informed  him  that  they  were  in  need  of  cloth- 
ing ;  that  what  they  received  in  May  was  worn  out,  also  their 
shoes,  and  that  they  were  not  supplied  with  sufficient  bedding 
to  make  them  any  way  comfortable  through  the  approaching 


V 


;r 


1   V, 


70 


THE   PRISONERS'   MEMOIRS, 


i  :m 


■..M  it 


winter,  especially  as  they  were  sickly,  and  had  the  small-pox 
in  the  prison,  and  that  they  should  not  be  able  to  endure  the 
hardships  of  their  condition,  though  their  two  and  a  half  pence 
a  day  was  some  relief;  yet  as  all  the  workmen  were  turned 
into  prison,  and  not  permitted  to  go  out  any  more  on  account 
of  one  man,  whom  we  believe  to  be  Capt.  Swain,  of  New  Bedford, 
Massachusetts,  taking  a  very  sudden  move  and  leaving  the 
whole  establishment  without  giving  notice ;  this  left  them  un- 
provided  w^ith  sufficient  means  to  take  care  of  themselves. 

Now  the  surly  blasts  of  chill  November  had  made  all  sur- 
rounding  nature  wear,  the  sad  aspect  of  decay,  and  the  bare- 
footed  prisoner  stood  shivering  by  the  walls,  in  the  pale  and 
feeble  ray  of  a  winter  sun,  when  Mr.  Williams  arrived  with 
the  clothing,  a^  was  expected,  and  on  the  third  saw  the  crew 
of  the  Argus  take  their  departure  from  this  prison,  to  go  on 
board  the  St.  Philip,  then  lying  at  Dartmouth,  bound  for  the 
United  States.  The  draft  of  this  crew  consisted  of  one  bun. 
dred,  which  was  all  that  was  taken  from  this  place  ;  she  had 
previously  taken  in  her  complement,  except  this  number,  at 
Chatham.  Shortly  after  her  sailing  from  Dartmouth  she  was 
so  unfortunate  as  to  spring  her  mast,  and  obliged  to  return  into 
port. 

At  this  time  the  Phebe  and  the  late  United  States  frigate  Es- 
sex arrived  in  England.  The  editors  who  published  the  arrival 
of  these  two  ships,  made  no  remark  or  observation  whatever, 
only  barely  said  they  had  arrived. 

The  reader  will  not  have  forgotten  the  circumstance  of  the 
four  nien,  whom  we  mentioned  were  committed  to  close  con- 
finement during  the  war,  on  suspicion  of  an  intention  to  blow 
up  the  ship.  We,  at  this  time,  made  application  to  the  Board 
of  Transport,  to  mitigate  the  punishment  of  these  four  men, 
late  of  the  Surprise,  and  who  had  remained  ever  since  in  close 
confinement  in  the  cachot,  but  our  petition  wfis  not  granted  ; 
the  board  said  the  sentence  had  passed  and  couM  not  be  re- 
called— they  must  suffer  according  to  the  sentence.  These 
poor,  fellows  had  endured  the  three^months  imprisonment  with 
with  A  magnanimity  becoming  Americans.  The  prisoners 
seeing  they  could  not  get  them  relieved,  agreed  to  al)ow  them 
a  half-penny  a  month  out  of  every  man's  pay,  which  was  cheer- 
ftilly  done  by  every  man.  They  supplied  them  with  such  ar- 
ticles as  the  board  would  allow  them  to  have. 

Our  hope  now  brightened  amidst  tho  clouds  of  sufiTerings  and 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


n 


small-pox 
idure  the 
ilf  pence 
re  turned 
)  account 
r  Bedford, 
iving  the 
them  un- 
Jives. 
e  all  sur- 
the  bare- 
pale  and 
ived  with 
the  crew 
to  go  on 
d  for  the 
one  hun. 
;  she  had 
imber,  at 
1  she  was 
elurn  into 


despair,  by  the  reports  from  Ghent  of  h  speedy  peace,  which 
swelled  every  London  paper. 

The  ^ards,  both  officers  and  soldiers,  stationed  here,  were 
much  disaffected  with  the  government  of  the  country;  and  in- 
formed  us  that  the  military  through  the  whole  kingdom  had 
the  same  disafTection,  and  that  they  had  gone  so  far  as  to  inform 
the  government,  in  direct  terms,  that  if  a  peace  did  not  take 
place  before  the  first  of  April,  that  they  would  lay  down  their 
arms. 

The  battle  end  destruction  of  Washington  had  now  crossed 
the  Atlantic,  and  was  sounding  with  great  applause  to  the^Brit- 
ish  arms;  every  paper  was  swelled  with  the  most  pompous' 
description  of  the  great  battle,  and  the  unparalleled  bravery 
and  magnanimity  of  their  officers  and  soldiers,  that  had  defeated 
and  drove  the  whole  American  army,  headed  by  Mr.  Madison 
in  person,  and  that  they  were  in  so  close  pursuit  of  him  that 
he  had  a  severe  race  all  the  way  from  Bladensburgh  to  Wash- 
ington, which  they  were  disposed  to  ridicule  by  comparing  to 
John  Gilpin's  celebrated  race. 

They  also  gave  a  description  of  Washington,, which  tiiey  de- 
clared was  one  of  the  greatest  cities  in  the  known  world  ;  the 
grandeur  and  magnificence  of  it  surpassed  that  of  Paris  or  Lon- 
don; it  contained  thirteen  hundred  spacious  squares.  But  they 
did  not  mention  that  those  squares  contained  no  houses  or.  in- 
habitants. 

These  stories  could  not  gain  the  belief  of  persons  acquainted 
\frith  the  American  nation  and  its  capitol,  but  we  were  led  to 
believe  that  the  conduct  on  both  sides  deserved  much  censure, 
and  that  the  burning  of  that  capitol  was  a  disgrace  to  both  na- 
tions. 

Nothing  .very  material  pccurfed  among  the  prisoners  this 
month ;  they  received  their  montly  pay  as  usual,  but  were 
more  sickly,  and  the  weather  cold  and  tedious,  but  could  not 
be  compared  with  the  November  before.  The  prisoners, 
though  far  from  being  as  comfortable  as  they  ought  to  be,  suf- 
fered much  less,  and  were  in  a  better  condition  to  endure  the 
hardships  of  a  prison  than  the  year  before,  now  they  were  sup- 
plied with  one  pair  of  shoes  and  stockings,  and  allowed  two  and  a 
half  pence  per  day.  They  did  not  shrink  at  the  approaching 
season  so  much  as  before. 

Mr.  Williams  returned  to  London  at  the  end  of  the  month ; 


4 


i 

4' 


mmmmmmmm 


72 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


|i  >( 


*l 


he  had  been  with  us  all  the  month,  distributing  the  several  arti- 
cles above  mentioned. 

As  the  season  advanced  the  hard  weather  increased,  and  the 
snow  fell  in  gVeat  abundance  in  the  beginning  of  December, 
and  the  prisoners,  much  chilled  with  the  cold,  applied  for  per- 
mission to  keep  fire,  as  had  been  permitted  to  the  French 
prisoners,  but  were  peremptorily  refused  and  absolutely  forbid. 

But  to  make  the  biest  of  these  evils  of  life,  they  applied  them- 
selves every  man  to  some  occupation ;  they  endeavored  to 
cherish  and  keep  the  mind  alive  if  the  body  decayed,  and  to 
cultivate  that  nobler  part  of  our  being,  they  established  a  num. 
ber  oT  schools,  and  the  young  men  and  boys  were  instructed 
in  them  for  nearly  two  years,  and  many  of  them,  who  were 
perfectly  unacquainted  with  letters  when  they  came  to  this 
prison,  had  acquired  a  tolerable  education  in  V  3  English 
branches  of  science. 

There  has,  from  the  earliest  ages  of  antiquity,  been  frequent 
instances  of  men  who  have  been  weary  of  life,  and  had  not  th^ 
courage  and  fortitude  to  bear  those  ills  which  .-are  incident  to 
it,  and  have,  therefore,  by  a  sort  of  false  heroism,  attempted  to 
avoid  them  by  destroying  their  own  life  The  Stoic  philoso- 
phy, which  seemed  to  be  a  cultivated  degree  of  insensibility, 
encouraged  it,  and  called  it  heroism  ;  but  the  act  is  cowardly, 
and  a  great  offence  against  the  laws  of  God  and  man. 

I  have  thought  proper  to  premise  these  observations,  before 
I  related  the  melancholy  instance  of  a  young  man,  a  native  of 
the  city  of  New  York,  by  the  name  of  John  Taylor,  who  put 
an  end  to  his  life  on  the  first  of  this  month,  by  hanging  himself, 
in  prison  No.  5. 

By  the  position  in  which  he  was  found  in  the  morning,  he 
must  have  been  all  intent  on  death  ;  he  had  fastened  himself 
to  one  of  the  stantions  so  that  his  toes  could  just  touch  the  floor. 
We  knew  of  no  other  cause  than  that  despair  had  given  him 
less  courage  to  live  than  to  die. 

Thinking  it  might  tend  to  deter  others  from  following  the 
example  of  this  unhappy  victim  of  despair,  I  procured  a  large 
slate,  and  engraved  on  it  the  following  inscription,  which  I  put  at 
the  head  of  his  grave,  where  it  remains  on  the  moor  : 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


73 


Here  lies 

JOHN  TAYLOR, 

A   native   citizen   of  the   city  of  New  York, 

Who  committed  suicide,  by  hanging  him-  ** 

self  in  prison  No.  5,  on  the  evening 

of  the  first  of  December,  1814. 

I  then  put  over  each  prison,  as  a  caveat,  the  following  me* 
mentOf  as  it  was  feared  others  would  do  the  same  act : 

Whene'er  you  view  this  doleful  tomb, 
Remember  what  you  are, 
And  put  your  trust  in  God  alone : 
Suppress  that  fiend,  Despair, 

Lo !  there's  entomb'd  a  generous  youth 
Despair  did  doom  to  die  ; 
By  the  hard  act  of  suicide, 
John  Jaylor  there  doth  lie. 

He  hung  himself  within  yon  walls, — 
A  warning  may  it  prove  : 
Tho'  man  is  wicked  here  below. 
There's  a  just  God  above. 

Be  patient,  meek,  and  wait  His  call. 
Endure  these  ills  of  strife : 
For  great's  the  sin  of  mortal  man, 
That  takes  away  his  life. 

One  knows  not  how  to  account  for  the  origin  of  that  act 
which  takes  away  one's  own  life :  self-love  and  self-preserva- 
tion are  so  deeply  rooted  in  the  very  nature  of  all  living  crea- 
tures, that  it  is  the  ultimate  motive  of  all  actions  to  endeavor  to 
sustain  and  preserve  life ;  fear  of  destroying  it  is  so  instinctive 
in  all  animals  that  they  seem  to  flee  from  danger  without  any 
reasoning  in  the  act,  and  almost  without  knowing  when  the  vo- 
lition begins. 

But  the  suicide  reverses  everything ;  tie  does  an  act  which 
is  not  natural,  not  rational,  not  desirable,  and  dangerous ;  he 
rashes  into  the  presence  of  his  God  with  all  his  former  crimesi 
and  this  most  henious  of  all  brings  him  there. 

7 


t- 


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r^' 

fe 

M:. 

m- 

i 

74 


THE   PBISONBRS     MEMOIRS, 


From  the  tirst  to  the  twenty-sixth  nothing  material  occurred, 
but  a  constant  fall  of  snow  every  day ;  but  the  season  was  less 
severe  than  that  of  the  year  before. 

In  the  interim,  prisoners  arrived  from  difierent  quarters  of 
the  globe ;  some  taken  in  Canada  on  the  lakes,  and  others  on 
the  land ;  and  amongst  tiiese  arrivals  was  the  crew  of  the  pri. 
vateer  Leo,  captured  off  the  coast  of  Portugal. 

On  the  twenty-ninth,  we  were  most  agreeably  surprised  with 
the  joyful  tidings  of  peace !  The  preliminaries  were  an- 
nounced in  the  London  paper  which  we  received  this  day,  and 
the  news  was  confirmed  by  a  letter  from  Mr.  Beasley,  received 
the  same  day,  stating  that  the  treaty  had  been  signed  by  the 
Commissioners  at  Ghent,  on  the  24th,  and  that  the  sloop-of-war 
Favorite  would  sail  with  the  treaty  on  the  second  of  January, 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifteen,  with  all  possible  speed, 
for  the  United  States,  and  that  three  months  would  release 
every  man  from  confinement. 

Language  is  too  feeble  to  describe  the  transports  of  joy  that! 
so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  filled  every  heart.  Every  man 
forgot  the  many  tedious  days  and  nights  he  had  so  oft  an  num- 
bered over  within  these  prison  walls.  The  memory  of  his  bet- 
ter  days  rose  fresh  in  his  mind,  and  he  once  more  hoped  to  re- 
turn to  his  native  country,  which  he  had  so  long  despaired  of 
ever  revisiting ;  his  liberty,  the  embraces  of  his  friends,  he 
■  knew  better  how  to  prize  by  being  so  long  deprived  of  them. 
The  delicious  fruits  of  plenty  he  could  by  his  imagination 
taste. 

The  prison  was  now  in  great  confusion  and  bustle  in  pre- 
paring  to  celebrate  the  peace,  which  we  were  confident  would 
be  honorable  to  our  country.  We  were  confident  that  the 
ground-work  of  the  treaty  must  be  free  trade  and  sailors'  rights, 
and  made  arrangements  to  celebrate  it  in  a  manner  conforma- 
ble to  the  rights  of  the  ocean. 

We  obtained  a  quantity  of  powder  of  the  soldiers,  unknown 
to  the  keepers,  and  n  ade  large  cartridges,  wound  them  up  in 
twine,  so  that  when  exploded  would  make  a  report  as  loud  as 
a  six-pounder ;  we  then  procured  a  lurge  ensign,  and  a  pen- 
dant for  each  prison  ;  we  prepared  a  white  flag  in  the  centre, 
painted  in  large  capitals,  "  Free  Trade  and  Sailors'  Rights." 
The  next  morning,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  officers  and 
guards,  we  displayed  the  flags  on  the  top  of  each  prison ;  and 
on  No.  3,  which  was  styled  the  Commodore,  displayed  the 


'|i*!p 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


75 


white  flag  with  the  above  motto,  and  at  the  same  time  fired  a 
salute  of  seventeen  rounds. 

Shortly  afler,  Capt.  Shortland  entered  the  yard,  and  politely 
requested  the  white  flag,  containing  the  motto,  to  be  taken 
down,  as  it  would  draw  censure,  upon  him  from  the  govern- 
ment, by  holding  out  inducements  for  the  sailors  to  mutinise ; 
he  said  the  government  of  Great  Britain  took  care  to  suppress 
all  such  inflammatory  mottoes.  But  the  prisoners  were  too 
full  of  spirits  to  comply  with  the  request  at  that  time.  They 
continued  it  till  towards  evening,  when  he  again  entered  and 
solicited  us  to  take  it  down,  or  everything  would  be  in  confu- 
sion ;  he  said  if  we  would  take  the  motto-flag  down,  he  would 
hoist  an  American  ensign  on  one  end  of  his  own  house,  and  a 
British  one  on  the  other  end ;  and  if  we  were  not  contented 
with  this  he  would  order  them  all  down ;  we  then  told  him, 
out  of  respect  for  him,  we  would  take  them  all  down,  and 
wait  till  the  ratification  of  peace  before  we  displayed  them 
again.  , 

On  the  thirty-first  of  this  month  arrived  a  drafl  of  prisoners, 
among  whom  whom  were  many  who  had  given  themselves  up 
as  American  citizens,  and  claimed  their  right  to  a  citizenship, 
and  refused  to  act  on  board  his  Majesty's  ships  any  longer ; 
these  the  prisoners  did  not  give  a  very  welcome  reception,  for 
they  had  delayed  till  the  act  had  become  a  wilful  aiding  and 
assisting  the  enemy,  and  the  mischief  now  over.  The  constant 
cry  among  the  sailors,  who  are  great  friends  to  Uncle  Sam, 
was,  "  Damn  my  eyes  if  he  han't  stood  it  like  a  man." 

Amoffg  those  prisoners  who  had  declared  themselves  citi- 
zens of  the  United  States,  were  six  who  had  been  in  the  ene- 
my's service  for  many  years,  and  were  on  board  His  Majesty's 
ship  Pelican  when  she  engaged  the  United  States  brig  Argus, 
and  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  aOtion  against  the  Argus ; 
every  man  of  them  had  been  appointed  to  some  petty  office  on 
board  the  Pelican.  But,  supposing  a  peace  would  shortly  be 
concluded  between  the  two  nations,  they  had  thought  best  to 
claim  a  citizenship,  and  obtain  their  release.  This  informa. 
tion  soon  spread  among  all  the  prisoners,  and  enraged  them  to 
the  highest  degree  at  their  conduct ;  and  being  flushed  with 
high  spirits  with  the  late  news  of  peace,  were  about  to  proceed 
to  extremities  with  them,  and  they,  finding  their  lives  were  in 
danger,  applied  to  Capt.  Shortland  for  protection,  who  entered 
the  prison  yard  with  guards  and  took  these  traitorous  villains 


W." 


W 


ii?'r  i  • 


m 


I 


76 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRB, 


! 


Ij  I  el 


iir 


along,  and  we  believe  they  went  back  into  his  Majesty's  ser- 
vice, as  the  next  day  they  were  conveyed  to  Plymouth,  and  we 
heard  no  more  of  them. 

The  weather  was-  now  very  severe,  and  the  oldest  prisoners 
had  not  received  any  clothing  since  May,  and  were  much  in 
need  of  jackets  and  trowers,  of  this  fact  the  prisoners  were  a 
self-evident  and  naked  truth.  Many  were  sick  in  the  hos- 
pital. 

December  thirty-first,  1814.  Statement  of  prisoners  in  prison 
at  this  depot : 

Prisoners  delivered  up  from  the  British  navy,       -     1978 
United  States'  and  privateers'  men,  those  taken  in 
merchant  vessels,       -     -     -     --     --     -     -     3348 


Total,  exclusive  of  those  exchanged, 


5326 


Mr.  Beasley,  agent,  had  visited  them  once.  They  had  re- 
ceived from  him  one  jacket,  one  pair  of  trowsers,  two  shirts, 
two  pair  of  shoes,  and  two  pair  of  stockings,  each  man.  ' 

Received  from  the  British  government,  one  '  imiock,  one 
blanket,  one  horse  rug,  one  bed,  one  yellow  jackv  .,  one  pair  of 
trowers,  one  waistcoat,  one  pair  of  wooden  shoes,  and  one  cap. 

Received  in  cash  one  and  a  half  pence,  to  which  was  added 
one  penny  more  after  two  months,  each  man  per  day,  from  the 
first  of  January,  1814. 

The  weather  still  continued  cold,  and  the  oldest  prisoners 
had  not  as  y^^t  received  any  shoes  or  clothes,  but  were  daily 
expecting  them  from  Mr.  Beasley. 

We  had  been  in  this  cold  and  dreary  mansion  tw^ty-one 
months,  and  the  above  items  were  all  the  assistance  we  had  re- 
ceived  from  Beasley,  the  only  person  in  this  foreign  land  of  our 
enemies  to  whom  we  could  look  for  any  assistance,  or  from 
whom  we  had  any  right  to  expect  it. 

Our  ears  had  been  constantly  assailed  with  the  groansof  the 
sick  and- the  dying;  pestilence  and  disease  had  been  our  con- 
stant companions ;  our  minds  had  become  almost  distracted  be- 
twixt the  grief  tbr  our  departed  friends  and  fellow-prisoners 
and  the  hunger  and  want  ofour  own  body.  From  such  a  long 
series  of  incessant  sufferings,  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  the 
bodies  were  emaciated  and  the  mind  debilitated  ;  and  much  of 
the  sameness  that  may  appear  in  this  narrative  is  owing  to  a 
uniform  state  of  misery,  which  will  not  admit  of  a  variety  in 
the  description. 


OR   DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


77 


sty's  ser. 
h,  and  we 

prisoners 

much  in 

s  were  a 

the  hos- 

I  in  prison 

.  1978 
n  in 

-  3348 

-  5326 
had  re- 

I'o  shirts, 
1.  * 

lock,  one 
le  pair  of 

one  cap. 
as  added 

from  the 

prisoners 
ere  daily 

^ty-one 
e  had  re- 
nd of  our 
or  from 

nsof  the 
our  con- 
acted  be- 
prisoners 
ch  a  long 
that  the 
much  of 
ing  to  a 
ariety  in 


Capt.  Shortland  had  got  information  on  the  second  of  No- 
vember,  1815,  that  the  prisoners  had  counterfeited  three  shil- 
ling pieces,  and  passed  them  to  the  market  people,  for  their 
country  produce,  and  shortly  after  he  detected  two  men  attempt- 
ing to  pass  bad  money  ;  he  had  them  apprehended  immediately, 
and  sent  to  the  cachot. 

Nothing  worthy  of  note  occurred  till  the  twentieth,  when 
two  men  lately  arrived  were  discovered  to  be  the  same  who 
had  entered  the  British  service  the  winter  before.  After  hav- 
ing  received  many  insults,  and  much  hard  usage,  on  board  the 
war  ships,  they  had  got  tired  of  their  situations,  and  claimed 
their  citizenship  and  got  themselves  delivered  up  and  sent  to 
prison  again,  which  they  considered  the  least  of  the  two  evils. 

Their  conduct  on  board  the  ships,  was  no  doubt  as  disgrace- 
ful as  the  act  they  committed  to  bring  them  there  ;  they  shifted 
from  ship  to  ship,  till  the  one  wherein  they  claimed  their  citizen- 
ship was  ignorant  of  the  manner  they  had  come  into  the  ser- 
vice. The  prisoners  being  highly  enraged  at  such  conduct, 
made  strict  inquiry  into  the  matter,  and  found  the  facts  as  above 
mentioned. — After  holding  consultations,  many  were  for  putting 
them  to  immediate  death,  others  were  for  flogging  them  as  se- 
verely as  they  could  bear,  and  every  man  for  giving  them 
some  condign  punishment ;  but  at  last  it  was  unanimously  con- 
cluded to  put  upon  them  a  mark,  which  would  be  a  lasting 
stigmR,  and  an  example  for  others.  They  seized  and  took  the 
traitors  into  prison,  and  fastened  them  to  a  table,  so  that  they 
could  not  resist)  and  then,  with  needles  and  India  ink,  pricked 
U.  S.  on  one  cheek,  and  T.  on  the  other;  which  is  United 
States  Traitor.  After  we  let  them  go,  they  were  taken  imme- 
diately to  the  hospital,  and  tt.oir  faces  blistered  on  both  sides, 
to  endeavor  to  extract  the  ink,  but  this  only  made  it  brighter 
and  sink  deeper  in.  The  doctors  reported  the  traitors  to  be  in 
a  very  dangerous  state,  and  that  their  lives  were  despaired  of. 
If  this  had  been  the  case,  it  must  only  proceed  from  the  applica- 
tion they  had  made  use  of,  for  no  harm  could  arise  from  marking. 

The  next  day,  Capt  Shortland  being  offended  at  the  treat- 
ment of  his  friends  had  received,  sent  and  had  three  men  taken, 
whom  he  suspected  were  concerned  in  the  affair,  and  put  them 
into  the  cachot,  where  they  were  examined  not  long  after  by  the 
King's  solicitor,  and  there  ordered  to  remain  till  the  next  Exeter 
assizes,  then  and  there  to  be  tried  by  the  laws  of  this  country; 
On  the  twenty. fifth  arrived  five  hundred  suits  of  clothes,  which 
were  distributed  among  those  who  had  last  arrived. 

7* 


l"'t^:l 


78 


THB    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS. 


The  weather  being  very  severe,  and  great  quantities  of  snow 
falling,  the  men  were  obliged  to  keep  within  doors.  On  the 
same  day  arrived  a  regiment  of  regular  troops,  who  themselves 
had  been  prisoners  in  France  for  many  years  during  the  late 
war  between  that  nation  and  England. — They  were  much 
disgusted  with  the  treatment  we  received  here,  and  exclaimed 
against  the  authors  of  it,  whoever  they -might  be,  and  declared 
they  had  not  received  such  treatment  in  France. 

At  this  time,  the  government  not  being  so  strict  in  their 
charge  the  military,  and  the  keepers  not  so  strict  in  putting 
them  in  execution,  and  these  new  guards  being  very  friendly, 
gave  us  a  fine  opportunity  to  escape  over  the  walls,  and  many 
made  their  escape  in  dark  stormy  nights.  This  continued  for 
some  time,  till  one  man  was  taken  on  the  wall,  in  the  very  act ; 
then  it  was  stopped,  and  strict  orders  given. 

On  the  twenty  .sixth  a  draft  of  prisoners  arrived,  among 
whom  were  the  crew  of  the  privateer  Neuf-Chattel  of  New 
York,  lately  captured,  and  two  navy  officers  captured  on  the 
lakes.  On  the  twenty-eighth  these  officers  received  their  pa. 
role,  and  proceeded  on  to  Ashburton,  where  all  the  paroled 
officers  were  stationed. 

Nantucket  Neutrality. 

On  the  thirtieth,  Sir  Isaac  Coffin  arrived  with  another  British 
admiral;  Sir  Isaac  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  feeling 
some  partiality  to  his  native  statesmen,  requested  Capt.  Short, 
land  to  permit  all  the  men  who  belonged  to  Nantucket  to  ccune 
alone  into  market  square,  which  request  was  of  course  granted. 
He  himself  and  the  other  admiral,  whose  name  we  did  not 
learn,  held  a  long  conversation  with  the  Nantucket  men,  and 
inquired  the  particulars  of  their  birth,  their  friends  and  places 
of  residence ;  they  then  told  them,  should  the  war  continue, 
they  would  be  released,  on  account  of  belonging  to  a  neutral 
Country. — They  then  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  the  citizens 
of  that  neutral  nation,  and  went  away.  Such  are  the  advan. 
tages  derived  from  being  a  neutral  nation  in  the  time  uf  war. 

February  commences  with  much  snow  and  cold  ;  the  prison, 
ners  in  great  anxiety  for  the  ratification  of  the  treaty^ 

On  the  fourth  arrived  a  draft  of  prisoners,  lately  captured  in 
the  privateer  Brutus.  At  this  time  a  new,  and  most  dreadful 
calamity  now  alarmed  and  endangered  the  life  of  every  man ; 
the  African  pox  had,  by  some  unfortunate  means,  got  among 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


79 


the  prisoners,  and  threatened  destruction  to  every  living  soul. 
The  disorder  was  so  violent  that  when  it  attacked  a  person, 
he  had  nothing  to  expect  but  immediate  death ;  numbers 
died  daily. 

On  the  fifth,  the  London  papers  mentioned  two  American 
fiigates  cruising  in  the  channel,  which  excited  great  alarm. 

On  the  sixth,  the  pestilence  had  grown  so  mortal,  that  the 
chief  surgeon  in  England  visited  the  prison  ;  he  imagined  the 
distemper  to  arise  from  a  want  of  pure  air ;  that  so  many 
people  crowded  together  in  one  building  must  render  the  air 
very  impure,  and  unfit  for  respiration.  He  tried  the  differ, 
eoce  of  temperature  of  the  air  in  the  prison,  and  outside, 
which  he  found  to  differ  twenty -five  degrees  by  Farenheit's 
thermometer,  the  air  being  much  warmer  inside.  This  differ- 
ence of  heat  arose  entirely  from  the  heat  of  the  human  b'ody, 
as  no  fire  was  kept  in  the  prisons ;  each  prison  now  contained 
about  1200  persons  on  an  average.  It  is  highly  probable  the 
distemper  had  generated  itself  in  the  bad  state  of  air,  and  had 
not  been  introduced  from  abroad,  as  was  first  supposed. 

On  the  eighth  arrived  an  order  from  the  Board  of  Transport, 
for  Capt.  Shortland  t^  ascertain  the  number  and  description  of 
all  prisoners  belonging  to  the  Island  of  Nantucket,  for  the  pur. 
pose  of  giving  them  their  discharge  ;  like  the  citizens  of  Den. 
mark  and  Sweden,  they  were  neutral. 

On  the  tenth  arrived  a  draft  of  prisoners,  lately  captured  on 
their  voyage  to  France ;  on  the  same  day  a  number  of  prison, 
ers  were  called  on  to  give  evidence  on  the  part  of  the  crown, 
concerning  the  marking  the  traitors  in  the  cheek. 

The  king's  solictor  was  a  long  while  busy  in  endeavouring 
to  obtain  information,  but  all  the.  satisfaction  he  got  was,  that 
they  had  heard  by  report  that  the  men  that  marked  the  traitors, 
were  to  be  tried  at  Exeter  the  next  assizes.  At  the  same  time 
a  small  quantity  of  clothing  arrived  from  Mr.  Beasley,  who 
it  seemed  always  took  care  to  send  clothing  to  those  who  last 
arrived,  as  in  this  instance,  although  they  had  not  been  prison. 
ers  but  a  few  weeks ;  he  seemed  to  have  an  idea  that  they 
always  come  into  prison  naked,  and  when  they  were  there,  one 
suit  would  last  them  all  their  life ;  for  the  oldest  prisoners  had 
not  received  any  clothing  since  the  last  May,  and  it  was  now 
ten  months,  and  every  garment  entirely  worn  out.  He  sup. 
posed,  that  during  two  years  imprisonment,  such  as  we  had  had, 
we  must  have  got  used  to  every  species  of  hardship,  and  that 


,■■»,': 
■  '  ■■!: 


80 


THE  prisoners'  MEMOIRS, 


going  naked  was  so  slight  an  evil  that  we  did  not  mind  it 
at  all. 

During  the  interval  of  time  since  the  peace,  another  slight 
evil,  somewhat  similar  to  the  above,  had  befallen  us,  for  the 
contractor,  seeing  we  were  shortly  to  go  to  a  land  of  plenty, 
was  determined  to  show  us  the  difference  in  a  man's  feelings 
between  eating  and  going  without ;  so  he  gave  us  no  more 
than  the  simpleton  gave  his  horse  while  learning  him  M  live 
without  eating. 

On  the  thirteenth,  one  of  the  four  prisoners,  v^hom  we  men- 
tioned before  were  sentenced  last  August  to  remain  in  the 
cachot  during  the  war,  watched  an  opportunity  to  get  among 
the  other  prisoners  in  the  yard,  being  let  inJo  the  yard  of  that 
building  for  the  benefit  of  the  fre?h  air,  and  seeing  the  atten- 
tion of  the  turnkeys  and  soldiers  occupied  by  some  other  ob- 
ject,'ai  this  time  junped  ov3r  the  iron  railing  that  separated 
this  building  from  the  yards  of  Nos.  1,2,  and  3,  and  got  undis- 
covered amongst  the  other  prisoners;  the  morning  foilowini^ 
he  was  missed  by  the  keepers,  and  information  given  to  Capt. 
Shortland,  who  demanded  the  man  from  among  us  immediately 
that  he  be  returned  to  the  cachot  again.  , 

The  prisoners  positively  refused  to  give  the  man  up,  and 
declared  that  no  force  of  arms  should  wrest  him  from  their 
protection.  He  then  ordered  the  market  closed,  and  would 
not  allow  any  communication  with  it,  and  refused  the  prisoners 
every  privilege,  and  gave  them  only  their  allowance. 

On  the  fourteenth,  he  entered  the  yard  at  the  head  of  two 
hundred  soldiers  with  fixed  bayonets,  and  ordered  every  pris- 
oner to  retire  within  the  prisons,  that  search  mi^^ht  be  made 
for  the  prisoner,  and  he  again  remanded  to  the  cachot;  but 
all  the  prisoners  having  previously  agreed  to  stand  by  each 
other,  and  if  they  attempted  to  use  any  violence,  to  surround 
and  disarm  ♦hem  ;  a  signal  was  given  to  surround,  and  the 
soldiers  were  immediately  surrounded,  and  the  intention  made 
known  to  the  officers,  and  advised  to  retire,  unless  the}^  were 
determined  to  risk  the  consequence.  They  then  very  pru- 
dently ordered  the  soldiers  to  fall  back,  and  retire  without  the 
yard,  and  leave  the  man  whom  they  sought. 

The  ca;  tain  still  harboring  rancor  in  his  breast,  thought  to 
compel  us  to  give  up  the  man  by  force  of  starvation,  and  kepi 
the  mat'kete  closed  against  us,  and  compelled  us  to  subsist 
solely  on  our  scant  allowance  ;  but  we,  to  retaliate,  forbid  all 


•       / 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


81 


mind  it 

er  slight 
for  the 
f  plenty, , 
feelings 
no  more 
1  M  live 

we  men- 
in  the 
t  among 
d  of  that 
he  alten- 
other  ob- 
epa  rated 
3t  undis- 
)llo\vin? 
to  Capt. 
lediately 

up,  and 
om  their 
id  would 
)risoners 

i  of  two 
ery  pris- 
be  made 
hut;  but 
by  each 
urround 
and  the 
on  made 
3y  were 
>ry  pru- 
hout  the 

»ught  to 

ind  kept 

subsist 

rbid  all 


prisoners  going  out  of  the  yard  to  work,  who  at  this  lime  were 
about  forty  or  fifty  carpenters,  masons,  and  other  mechanics, 
who  wore  a  great  profit  to  the  government ;  this  step  put 
Shorlland  to  great  expense  and  inconvenience  to  procure 
others. 

He  atlast  concluded  to  make  peace  and  restore  tranquility, 
and  let  the  man  remain  ;  and,  on  the  twentieth,  he  again 
opened  the  markets  to  the  prisoners,  and  we  permitted  the 
workmen  to  go  out  and  work  again.  The  other  three  men  ■ 
remained  in  the  cachot,  but  a  stronger  guard  was  plaeed 
there,  otherwise  we  were  determined  to  release  them  by  force. 

On  the  twenty-second,  arrived  a  draft  of  prisoners,  lately 
acptured  off  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  among  whom  were 
the  crew  of  the  late  United  States  brig  Syren  ;  the  treatment  of 
these  men  before  they  arrived  at  this  place  will  be  mentioned 
in  the  supplements  to  this  work.  These,  together  with  others 
taken  in  other  parts,  arrived  since  the  last  enumeration  on  the 
last  day  ofone  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fourteen,  made  in  all 
at  this  depot  five  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty,  which  were 
all  the  prisoners  in  England,  except  officers  on  parole. 
The  prisoners  were  barefooted,  and  very  sickly. 

On  the  twenty-sixth  of  this  month,  is  gazetted  in  the  London 
papers,  the  official  account  of  the  capture  of  the  United  Stales 
frigate  President,  Com.  Decatur. 

The  editor  says  she  was  captured  solely  by  the  Endymion, 
of  far  inferior  force;- he  says  the  engagement  was  in  the  old 
English  style,  yard-arm  lo  yard-arm.  Knowing  this  to  be 
a  falsehood,  I  addressed  a  letter  to  the  editor,  requesting  him 
to  read  a  short  piece  of  poetry  which  I  encloseu. 

March  commenced  with  cold  and  blustering  weather,  and 
the  prison  almost  one  continued  scene  of  sick  and  dying,  the 
small-pox  was  raging  with  a  desolatitig  aspect,  and  the  greatest 
anxiety  concerning  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  ;  afflictions, 
which  seem  never  to  come  singly,  were  now  pressing  upon 
the  lack  of , one  another  ;  pestilence,  famine  and  nakedness 
n'cre  not  affliction  enough,  phrensy  must  be  added. 

On  the  fourth,  a  man  in  the  iiospital,  in  a  sudden  fit  of  in- 
sanity, seized  a  knife  and  stabbed  two  of  the  nurses  very  dan- 
gerously, of  which  wounds  Jonathan  Paul  died  on  the  tenth, 
the  other  survived. 

On  inquiry  into  the  ciroumstances  of  the  deceased,  we  found 
him  to  have  been  a  married  man,  and  his  wife  had  lived  a  little 


82 


THE  prisoner's  MEMOIRS, 


distance  from  the  prison  since  his  confinement,  who  was  in 
very  narrow,  circumstances. 

We  all  agreed  to  give  her  the  day's  allowance  of  fish  of  that 
week,  which  we  sold  to  the  contractor  and  received  the  money, 
which  amounted  to  nearly  one  hundred  dollars  ;  this  sum  she 
received,  and  returned  to  her  residence  on  the  day  of  the  death 
of  her  husband. 

On  this  day,  also,  the  three  men  who  were  put  into  close 
confinement  for  marking  the  traitors  on  the  face,  were  taken 
out  of  the  custody  of  the  agent  of  prisoners  of  war  at  this  place, 
by  a  writ  o(  habeas  corpus  ad  respodendum,  and  remiDved  to  the 
criminal  prison  at  Exeter,  to  be  tried  for  the  offence  by  the 
civil  laws  of  this  country.  They  were  removed  in  irons.  The 
prisonesrs  then  made  a  contribution  for  the  support  of  these 
men  while  at  Exeter. 

On  the  tenth,  we  received  London  papers,  which  gj.ve  an 
account  of  Bonaparte's  having  arrived  in  France  at  the  hes^d 
of  about  one  thousand  men,  and  that  he  was  making  the  mokt 
rapid  advances  toward  Paris,  and  thousands  joining  him; 
thai  tiie  greatest  confusion  was  taking  place  in  the  affairs  of 
France. 

This  intelligence  struck  the  greatest  astonishment  in  all 
England,  and  created  a  very  serious  concern  among  all  the 
military,  who  expected  to  be  relieved  on  the  arrival  of  the 
treaty  ratified  by  the  President,  but  now  they  must  despair  of 
that  idea,  as  new  wars  must  inevitably  follow  the  stops  of  that 
gigantic  monster. 

On  the  fourteenth,  a  universal  joy  was  diffused  through  ihe 
whole  prison,  and  "a  smile  lighted  up  in  the  aspect  of  woe;" 
the  Favorite,  the  welcome  messenger  of  peace,  arrived,  and 
brought  the  treaty,  ratified  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States. 

I  cannot  better  express  the  joy  that  diffused  itself  through 
the  whole  country,  Englishmen  as  well  as  prisoners,  than  by 
giving  the  following  lines  from  a  great  author: 


\  I       "  The  dumb  shall  sin|f,  the  lame  his  crutch  forego. 
And  leap  exulting  like  the  bounding  roe. 
No  sigh  nor  murmur  the  wide  world  shall  hear, 
From  ev'ry  face  he  wipes  off  ov'ry  tear." 


\. 


We  raised  the  ensigns  and  pendant  on  each  prison ;  pre- 


-"T 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


83 


\o  was  m 


sented  to  Capt.  Shortland,  and  gentlemen  under  his  command, 
an  address  in  poetry. 

On  the  seventeenth,  we  were  informed  by  Capt.  Shortland, 
that  he  Ijad  received  orders  from  the  Board  of  Transwrt  to 
discharge  the  prisoners  whenever  Mr.  Beasley  was  ready  to 
receive  them.  To  the  great  disappointment  of  all  the  prison- 
we  had  received  no  information  from  Mr.  Beasley  for  six 
weeks,  and  the  prisoners  now  were  in  the  greatest  anxiety. 
They  reasonably  expected  that  on  the  arrival  of  this  ratified 
treaty,  Mr.  Beasley  would  have  everything  in  a  state  of  readi- 
ness for  their  immediate  conveyance  to  the  United  States,  and 
that  he  would  inform  them  in  what  manner  they  were  to  pro- 
ceed there  ;  but  not  a  syllable  was  received  from  the  agent  of 
our  country  till  the  eighteenth,  when  a  very  cold  and  unpleas- 
ant letter  was  received  from  him,  which  read  as  follows: 

^^Fellow-citizens, — 

*•  I  am  informed  that  great  numbers  of  the  prisoners  refuse 
l)eing  inoculated  with  the  small-pox,  which  I  hear  has  been 
very  mortal  among  you,  I  therefore  acquaint  you  that  it  will 
be  impossible  for  me  to  send  home  any  prisoners  unless  they 
have  gone  through  the  same.     Yours,  &c., 

*'R.  G.  BEASLEY." 

This  strange  letter  rather  increased  the  great  anxiety  every 
man  was  in,  for  we  expected  to  have  been  informed  something 
relative  to  our  speedy  departure,  and  that  he  had  made  ar- 
rangements to  clothe  the  oldest  piisoner.s,  who  were  so  naked 
that  they  were  unfit  to  be  discharged. 

On  the  ninteenth,  an  order  arrived,  informing  Capt.  Short- 
land  to  discharge  thirty  men,  as  they  had  been  applied  for  by 
American  captains,  to  man  ships  in  Ff:  ♦^  and  up  the  east 
country ;  the  Transport  Board  had  ore  d  them  to  be  dis- 
charged. 

On  the  twentieth,  Capt.  Shortland  released  those  three 
men  whom  we  have  mentioned  were  committed  to  close  con- 
finement in  the  cachot  last  August,  on  suspicion  of  blowing  up 
the  vessel ;  the  other,  we  have  mentioned,  made  his  escape. 

These  men  made  as  ghastly  an  appearance  as  it  is  possible 
for  human  beings  to  make;  they  had  been  eight  months  con- 
fined within  a  damp  stone  room,  twenty  feet  square,  floored 


m 


84 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


(  - 


with  stone,  and  no  light  except  a  dim  ray  that  gleamed 
through  the  top  of  the  gable  end.  They  had  lived  on  two- 
thirds  of  a  scant  allowance  till  their  trembling  limbs  could 
scarce  support  theii  body. 

On  the  same  day,  a  writ  came  to  remove  the  insane  man 
who  had  occasioned  the  death  of  Jonathan  Paul  to  Exeter,  to 
have  his  trial ;  also  one  to  bring  forward  about  twenty  per- 
sons as  witnesses,  in  this  and  the  trial  of  the  three  men  whom 
we  mentioned  had  been  taken  there  for  trial  for  marking  the 
traitors. 

The  small-pox  raged  now  in  a  most  alarming  manner;  it 
being  of  the  African  kind,  scarce  a  man  recovered  after  once 
being  attacked  and  conveyed  to  the  hospital. 

After  the  arrival  of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty,  great  num- 
bers visited  the  prison,  from  all  parts  of  the  countrj^  with  al- 
most every  kind  of  article  for  sale  in  the  markets,  among  whom 
.  were  great  numbers  of  .lews,  who  came  here  to  sell  old 
'  clothes.  1 

One  of  these  Jew  merchants,  on  his  way  to  the  prison,  met 
a  farmer  who  lived  about  eight  miles  from  the  prison,  and  ac- 
cused him  of  being  an  American  prisoner,  making  his  escape 
from  the  depot,  as  great  numbers  had  lately  made  theii  escape; 
and,  thinking  to  receive  the  reward,  which  was  three  pounds, 
'[  given  by  the  government  for  apprehending  any  prisoner  mak- 
ing his  escape  from  the  prison,  told  the  farmer  he  must  go 
back  to  the  prison  with  hiai;  and  the  farmer,  having  been 
once  a  sailor,  was  willing  to  confirm  him  in  his  suspicions, 
"  and  bejLa;i  the  song  of  Yankee  Doodle;  this  confirmed  the 
Jew  in  his  belief  of  his  being  an  American,  and  he  was  sure 
he  had  got  a  prize  worth  three  pounds  to  him;  but  his  pris- 
oner refused  to  walk,  and  thinking  he  could  afford  to  hire  a 
conveyance  for  him,  gave  half  a  guinea  to  a  wagoner  to  take 
him  to  the  prison,  and  treated  him  very  liberally  along  the 
way  with  drink.  About  1 1  o'clock  the  Jew  arrived  with  his 
prisoner,  and  applied  to  the  keepers  to  take  charge  of  him, 
and  pay  the  reward  of  three  pounds ;  but  to  his  astonishment, 
the  clerks,  turnkeys,  arid  every  officer,  immediately  knew  the 
farmer,  and  knew  him  to  be  a  respectable  man  residing  on  the 
edge  of  the  moor.  He  now  demanded  of  the  Jew  a  compen 
aation  for  being  detained  several  hours  a  prisoner,  and  the  de- 
mand being  justified  by  Capt.  Shortland.  the  Jev  was  obliged 
to  pay  five  pounds  to  prevent  a  suit. 


/• 


OE    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


85 


The  affair  was  made  known  to  the  prisoaers,  and  every 
man  forbid  purchasing  anything  of  the  Jew;  he  was  therefore 
obliged  to  leave  the  market  without  disposing  of  a  single 
article. 

On  the  twenty-fourth,  a  letter  was  recieved  from  Mr.  Beas- 
ley,  informing  those  Americans  who  had  been  taken  under 
the  French  flag,  and  had  been  considered  French  prisoners 
till  they  were  discharged,  and  from  that  time  till  this,  had  been 
recog"«ised  by  no  government,  that  he  was  now  authorized  to 
acknowledge  them  as  Americans,  and  sent  to  each  man  a  suit 
of  clothes.  This  was  the  first  assistance. these  men  had  had 
from  any  government  since  the  French  prisoners  were  dis- 
charged, and  had  lived  entirely  on  the  chanty  of  the  other 
prisoners.     They  had  been  prisoners  four  or  five  years,  ' 

The  same  letter  informed  us  that  he  had  taken  three  ships 
at  London  fdV  the  conveyance  of  the  piisoners  to  the  United 
States. 

The  same  day  a  passport  for  four  prisoners,  who  were  to 
be  discharged,  was  received.  -        '    ' 

During  this  month  many  prisoners  made  their  escape,  the 
government  appearing  very  careless ;  and  it  was  supposed  this 
negligence  was  intentional,  that  they  might  escape  for  the 
purpose  of  impressing,  as  the  press  was  hot  about  this  time ; 
but  some  few  were  detected  when  passing  the  wall,  and  sen- 
tenced to  the  cachot  for  ten  days,  on  two-thirds  allowance, 
which  stopped  the  escaping  for  that  time. 

On  the  twenty-fifth  the  prisoners  began  to  be  impatient  of 
such  delay  in  the  American  ageit,  as  eleven  days  had  elapsed 
since  the  arrival  of  the  ratified  treaty,  and  nothing  in  readiness 
to  discharge  them,  no  means  provided,  and  such  delay  too  much 
to  be  borne ;  their  situation  was  such  thiit  they  could  not  re- 
strain their  resentment  against  such  criminal  neglect  as  their 
agent  was  guilty  of ;  they  were  determined  to  punish  him  as  much 
as  it  lay  in  their  power;  they  therefore  caused  his  effigy  to  be 
hanged  on  the  top  '^fone  of  the  prisons,  after  which  it  was  tak- 
en down,  and  burnt  in  presence  of  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  — 
But  I  must  not  forget  to  mention  the  sentence  of  the^court,  pro- 
nounced beforo  his  execution,  and  his  dying  confession,  when 
under  the    -allows. 

Sentence.    ■ 

At  this  trial,  held  at    Dartmoor  on  the  twenty-fifth  day  of 
March,  one  thousand  eiirht  hundi  ^d  and  fifteen,  you,  Reuben 

8 


m 


86 


THE    prisoners'  MEMOIRS 


u ':'<:■■ 


» 


■  ^WWi 


G.  Beasley  in  effigy,  are  found  guilty,  by  an  impartial  and 
judicious  jury  of  your  countrymen,  upon  the  testimony  of  five 
thousand  seven  hundred  witnesses,  of  depriving  many  hun- 
dreds of  your  countrymen  of  their  lives,  by  the  most  wanton 
and  most  cruel  deaths,  by  nakedness,  starvation,  and  exposure 
to  pestilence.  It  therefore  becomes  the  duty  of  this  court,  as 
ought  to  be  theduty  of  every  court  of  justice,  to  pronounce  that 
sentence  of  the  law,  which  your  manifold  and  henious  crimes 
so  richly  deserve. — And  it  is  with  the  deepest  regret  that  I 
am  compelled  to  say,  our  country  has  been  imposed  upon,  by 
a  man  whose  crimes  must  cut  him  off  from  among  the  living. 
You  this  day  must  be  hanged  by  the  neck  on  the  top  of  the 
prison  No.  7,  until  you  are  dead  ;  your  body  is  then  to  be 
taken  down  and  fastened  to  a  stuke,  and  burned  to  ashes, 
which  are  to  be  distributed  to  the  winds,  that  your  name  may 
be  forgotten,  and  your  crimes  no  longer  disgrace  our  nation. 

On  hearing  the  above  sentence,  the  compunction  of  his  conp 
science  now  brought  forth  the  following  confession:  \ 


CONFESSION. 


"  Injured  countrymen  and  fellow-citizens  : 

"  I  this  day,  by  the  verdict  of  a  just  and  impartial  jury, 
and  by  the  sentence  of  an  impartial  court,  am  to  be  made  a 
public   example,  and    receive   that  punishment   which   is  so 
':^  justly  due  to  my  many  odious  offences  against  the  laws  of 

God  and  my  country ;  and  being  in  a  very  few  moments  to 
make  my  exit  from  this  world,  do  confess,  in  the  presence  of 
Almighty  God,  thai  for  the  first  twelve  months  of  my  consul- 
ship I  did  most  criminally  neo^lect  the  American  prisoners, 
who  were  dying  daily  lor  the  want  of  my  assistance,  which  1 
withheld  through  mercenary  motives  :  the  cries  and  petitions 
of  my  unfortunate  countrymen  I  hate  always  treated  with  the 
utmost  disregard  and  contempt,  but  being  fully  convinced  of 
all  my  pa.<«t  errors,  1  make  this  public  and  candid  confession, 
in  hopes  that  I  may  find  mercy  in  the  presence  of  a  just  and 
merciful-God.  I  further  do  acknowledge,  that  I  have  been 
the  means  of  detaining  you  in  your  present  situation  by  ne- 
glecting to  send  yon  home,  as  I  might  have  done,  while  the 
exchange  was  open  for  prisoners,  which  was  no!  closed  till 
June,  eighteen  hundred  and  thirteen;  I  likewise  confess,  that 
I  have  deprived  great  numbers  of  you  of  your  regular  turns 


OR   DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


87 


tial  and 
y  of  five 
ny  hun- 

wanion 
ixposure 
court,  as 
nee  that 
J  crimes 
t  that  I 
ipon,  by 
i  living, 
p  of  the 
en  to  be 
)  asheSf 
me  may 
nation, 
his  conr 

1 


ial  jury, 

made  a 
:h  is  SO 

laws  of 
nents  to 
sence  of 

consul- 
risoners, 
which  1 
petitions 
ivith  the 
inced  of 
ifession, 
just  and 
Lve  been 

by  ne» 
hile  the 
>sed  till 
^ss,  that 
ir  turns 


of  exchange,  by  filling  the  cartels  with  paroled  officers,  who 
were  not  entitled  to  the  same ;  I  must  confess  that  had  I  have 
made  proper  application  to  the  British  government,  and 
had  I  used  my  influence,  I  might  have  obtained  the  release  of 
all  the  men  discharged  from  his  majesty's  ships  of  war:  but 
being  selfish,  and  swaged  by  despicable  motives,  I  made  no 
exertions  for  their  relief.  I  do  likewise  confess,  that  after  the 
second  year  of  my  consulship,  1  could  no  longer  withhold 
from  my  unfortunate  countrymen,  some  little  assistance  in 
money  and  clothing,  as  the  United  States  had  given  me  posi- 
tive orders  to  supply  all  the  wants  of  her  citizens,  who  were 
prisoners  of  war  at  that  lime  in  England;  but  to  my  shame, 
and  to  the  disgrace  of  any  American  agent,  I  entered  in  a 
contract  with  a  Jew  merchant  of  London,  to  supply  the  priso- 
ners with  the  very  meanest  and  coarsest  clothing  that  could 
possibly  be  procured  in  ail  England.  At  the  same  time  I 
made  advances  to  you,  prisoners,  of  two  and  a  half  cents  per 
day,  and  then  represented  to  your  country,  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States,  that  I  had  supplied  all  your  wants  by  providing 
you  a  sufficient  qunntitv  of  clothing,  and  making  you  a  daily 
advance  of  money  suitable  to  your  wants  ;  for  I  did  think  that 
by  deceiving  the  United  States,  and  depriving  you  of  the  ne- 
cessaries of  life,  I  should  in  a  very  few  years  accumulate  to 
myself  a  very  handsome  fortune;  but  to  my  great  disappoint- 
ment and  disgrace,  the,  peace  took  place,  and  all  my  villany 
and  deception  was  discovered  ;  my  crimes  stood  in  open  day. 
For  these  crimes  now  I  am  justly  doomed  to  this  ignominioiis 
death,  and  must  very  shortly  make  my  appearanee  before  the 
just  and  Almighty  God,  to  answer  for  all  my  ciimes;  where 
I  expect  there  will  rise  up  in  evidence  against  me,  the  souls 
of  hundreds  of  my  departed  countrymen,  who  now  lie  buried 
behind  the  walls  of  this  prison  by  my  crimes;  as  the  time  is 
now  expired,  I  must  depart  to  the  uncertainty  of  an  here- 
after."    The  hat  drops.     •' 1  depart  among  the  damned." 

After  the  ashes  was   scattered    in  the  winds,  the  following 
dirge  was  then  sung: 

The  image  of  disgrace  we've  hang'd,  .  ,  - . 

' ,   "''    -  ^  And  wish  it  was  quite  true 

:>^'    :  That  Beasley  had  himself  been  there, 

-^     .,i  r        And  the  devil  burnt  his  Jew : 

°  f     i  For  both  contriv'd  to  wrong  us  much ;  .    • 

■>   .    ,'-•-'      •        'ii  (It  hey  know  it  very  well,  ..    •  ;. 

.■     ■  They'll  always  have  the  prisoners' prayer 

To  send  thom  both  to  heu..  ■   " 


68 


THK  PRISONERS'   MEMOIRS, 


On  the  twenty-sixth,  the  prisoners  who  had  been  taken  to 
Exeter  to  give  evidence  against  the  insane  man  who  stabbed 
Paul,  and  also  those  who  were  to  give  evidence  against  the 
three  men  who  were  accused  of  marking  the  traitors,  returned 
to  Dartmoor ;  as  did  also  the  defendants  who  had  had  their 
trial,  and  were  acquitted. 

On  the  twenty-eighth,  we  leceived  our  monthly  pay  as 
u^pal :  the  prison  continued  very  sickly,  and  no  preparation 
for  our  departure. 

4.1  this  time  the  oP^cers  and  soldiers  of  the  garrison  seemed 
greatly  alarmed  and  much  concerned  at  the  news  received 
from  France.  They  had  the  greatest  apprehensions  of  an  im- 
mediate war  with  Bonaparte,  as  the  Paris  papers  gave  an  ac- 
count of  his  being  at  the  head  of  three  hundred  thousand  men 
in  arms  ;  and  the  British  papers  mentioned  the  great  prepar- 
ations they  were  making  in  this  country  to  assist  the  allies. 
The  very  name  of  the  Emperor,  and  the  mention  qf  the  bat- 
tle of  New-Orleans,  made  every  British  officer  and  soldier 
turn  pale,  and  shudder  at  the  thought. 

On  the  last  day  of  March,  I  collected  the  exact  number  of 
all  prisoners  at  this  depot,  and  noted  as  follows: 

In  prison  No.   I 1769 

In     do.     No.  3 972 

In     do.     No.  4 1051 

In     do.     No.  6 958 

In    do.     No.  7      - 1263 

In  different  employments  about  the  stores      -    -        51 
Employed  in  the  hospital      .......        19 

Patients  in  the  hospital     ...    f—^:fp..^yt^,^;;  -       130 
Total  at  Dartmoor     -     -        .     .    -     -     .     I     .     6693 
The  following  are -the  different  descriptions  of  prisoners, 
and  the  number  of  each  class. 
•  There  were  of  those  discharged  from  British  ships  of  war, 

and  also  those  taken  in  England,     , 2200 

Colored  people 1000 

United  Slates'  soldiers  and  sailors     -     .     -     -    -       250 
Taken  on  board  of  privateers  and  merchant-ships,    2243 
Including  those  few  mentioned,' taken  under  the  French 
flag. 

On  the  same  day  we  received  letters  from  London,  inform- 
ing us  that  the  ships  taken  for  our  3onveyance,  lay  wind 
bound  in  the  Downs. 


sick 


the 


■M- 


taken  to 
o  stabbed 
rainst  the 
)  returned 
bad  their 

jr   pay  as 
eparation 

n  seemed 
received 
of  an  im- 
ve  an  ac- 
sand  rnen 
It  prepar- 
he  allies, 
f  the  bat- 
d  soldier 

umber  of 

1769 

972 
1051 

958 
1263 

^1 
19 

130 
5693 
risoners, 

of  war, 
2200 
1000 
250 
2243 
French 

inform- 
vvind 


OR    DARTMOOR    FRISOIT. 


89 


The  month  concluded  with  pleasant  weather  for  Daitmoor  ; 
sickness  and  small  pox  had  somewhat  abated. 

The  prisoners  made  a  contribution  for  the  assistance  of  a 
prisoner,  who  had  lost  an  arm  in  attempting;  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  cartel,  which  was  conveying  them  from  Halifax 
to  England. 

As  this  is  intended  to  be  a  true  and  faithful  account  of  all 
the  occurrences  and  circumstances  of  the  American  captives 
in  England,  we  cannot  forbear  mentioning  some  circum- 
stances, which  may  appear  trifling  and  uninteresting  to  those 
who  have  not  felt  as  we  have. 

The  weather  now  being  mild,  and  the  pleasant  «eason  for 
crossing  the  Atlantic  fast  approaching,  the  prisoners  felt  the 
most  insufferable  anxiety  for  their  departure.  The  winds 
being  favorable,  and  seventeen  days  having  elapsed  since  the 
ratified  treaty  arrived,  they  could  not  but  wait  with  impatience 
for  the  cartels. 

On  the  first  of  March,  Capt.  Shortland  received  orders  to 
discharge  twenty-one  prisoners,  who  had  applied  to  be  re- 
leased in  England.  Previous  to  this  time  almost  all  the  men 
who  had  been  delivered  from  the  British  ships  of  war,  had 
been  paid  at  different  times  tfieir  prize  money,  and  the  wages 
due  for  their  past  services  in  the  navy. 

This  day  a  man  by  the  name  of  Bratt,  who  had  belonged  to 
the  United  States'  brig  Argus  returned  to  prison.  This  man, 
at  the  time  we  were  attempting  \o  make  our  escape  by  digging 
out,  was  accused  of  •dropping  some  unguarded  expression, 
which  had  led  to  a  discovery  of  our  first  attempt ;  he  was 
threatened  to  be  put  to  death,  by  great  numbers  of  prisoners, 
and  the  keepers  fearing  this  might  be  the  case,  took  him  to 
the  guard  house,  where  he  remained  till  the  crew  of  the 
Argus  were  discharged  from  prison,  when  he  was  also  dis- 
charged with  them,  and  went  along  with  the  crew  to  Dart- 
mouth, and  entered  the  cartel;  he  was  there  accused  of  the 
same  as  before,  and  threatened,  and  fearing  his  life  might  be 
taken,  he  escaped  from  the  cartel,  went  into  the  country  and 
worked  at  his  trade,  which  was  that  of  a  blacksmith,  and  had 
resided  there  the  whole  time. 

On  the  second  we  had  information  that  the  ship  Milo,  of 
Boston,  had  arrived  in  England  in  eighteen  days  from  that 
port;  she  was  the  first  American  vessel  which  had  reached 
this  place  since  the  peace. 

8* 


90 


THE   PRISONERS*   MEMOIRS, 


On  the  same  day,  we  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Beasley, 
which  read  as  follows : 
"  Fellow  Citizens, 

'*  From  the  numberless  letters  I  receive  daily,  I  find  that 
the  prisoners  entertain  an  idea  of  my  releasing  any  prisoners 
that  are  enabled  with  a  sufficiency  to  provide  for  themselves; 
I  therefore  must  give  you  fully  my  intention  on  that  subject, 
which  is,  to  grant  passports  only  to  such  persons  as  have 
friends  or  connexioiis  in  this  country,  of  responsibility. 

*'  I  must  also  acquaint  you  that  I  am  making  every  possible 
dispatch  with  the  cartels  for  your  conveyance  to  the  United 
States,  where  you  are  mucU  wanted,  and  the  encourageipnent 
for  seamen  very  great." 

This  letter  again  revived  the  drooping  spirits  of  the  prison- 
ers,  who  for  many  days  had  been  almost  distracted  with  the 
tedium  of  suspense.  We  now  felt  that  a  few  days  would 
release  us  from  this  earthly  hell,  and  like  i^nas  of  old,  pass 
by  propitious  gales  from  hell  to  heaven,  and  shortly  repo&e 
on  the  Elysian  fields,  in  the  arms  of  the  goddess  of  liberty. 

The  prisoners  that  had  kept  shops  in  the  priso  s  for  retail- 
ing small  articles,  such  as  tobacco,  thread,  spap,  cofTee,  sugar, 
&c.  now  broke  up,  and  every  thing  was  in  great  confusion 
for  want  of  these  articles  ;  these  shops  were  a  great  advan- 
tage to  those  who  kept  them,  and  a  great  accommodation  to 
all  the  prisoners.  There  had  been  from  sixty  to  eighty  in 
each  prison  ;  at  these  places  all  these  small  articles  flight 
easily  be  obtained,  though  at  somewhat  iiigher  price  than  in 
the  market. 

Our  salary  would  not  go  far  in  purchasing  these  arttcles, 
which  were  very  high  at  this  time  all  over  England;  we 
could  buy  for  a  penny  sterling,  only  one  small  chew  of 
tobacco,  which  was  selling  at  Plymouth  by  the  quantity  at 
nine  shillings  and  si«  pence  per  pound. 

We  find  mentioned  in  the  paper  of  this  day,  the  arrival  ot 
the  late  U.  States  frigate  President  at  Plymouth;  they  barely 
mention  that  she  had  arrived  at  that  place,  and  that  she  was 
captured  by  the  Endymion,  but  the  circumstances  of  the 
capture  they  very  prudently  left  out,  as  reflecting  i)0  honor 
on  the  captors. 

Capt.  Shortland  had  two  men  committed  to  close  confine- 
ment, who  had  been  aceused  of  drawing  money  from  the 
Dire  tors  of  Greenwich  Hospital,  under  assumed  names. 


4A 


OR   DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


r.  Beasley, 


I  find  that 

f  prisoners 

lemselves; 

lat  subject, 

IS  as  have 

ily. 

ry  possible 

be  United 

uragement 

the  prison- 

d  with  the 

lys  would 

f  old,  pass 

rtly  repose 

liberty. 

for  retail- 

ee,  sugar, 

confusion 

at  ad  van- 

odation  to 

eighty  in 

es  flight 

:e  than  in 

e  art  teles, 

and;  we 

chew  of 

uantity  at 

■-  .«Mi .-,-,, 
irrival  ot 
ey  barely 
t  she  was 
s  of  the 
po  honor 

»  confine- 
from  the 
mes. 


On  the  fourth,  a  circumstance  occurred,  which  may  lead  to. 
the  recital  of  other  circumstances,  which  many  to  whose 
hand  this  work  may  come,  may  be  inclined  to  doubt  the 
veracity  of ;  but  I  can  appeal,  not  only  to  those  who  have 
certified  this  work,  but  to  nearly  six  thousand  of  my  fellow 
prisoners,  who  upon  their  solemn  oath  can  attest  to  the  truth 
of  what  is  herein  contained. 

During  the  whole  of  this  day  the  prisoners  remained 
without  bread,  and  the  captain  of  the  prison  gone  to  Ply- 
mouth:  we  were  obliged  to  subsist  on  the  four  and  a  half 
ounces  of  beef,  and  the  soup  made  of  it ;  we  demanded  of  the 
contractor  the  reason  of  our  not  drawing  oui  usual  allowance 
of  bread;  he  answered,  that  it  could  not  le  obtained  till  to- 
morrow ;  we  waited  as  patiently  as  our  feelings  would  allow, 
till  the  expiration  of  thirty-six  hours  from  the  time  we  had 
received  the  last  bread,  when  hunger  became  so  pressing, 
th^t  it  drove  us  to  a  state  of  desperation,  and  we  could  no 
longer  endure  it,  as  the  whole  allowance  was  scarcely  suffi- 
cient to  sustain  life.  At  dusk  in  the  evening,  we  again 
demanded  the  reason  of  our  not  receiving  our  allowance  of 
bread  as  usual,  as  the  store-house  we  well  knew  contained 
a  sufficiency  of  both  hard  and  soft  bread.  The  contractor's 
clerk  informed  us,  ihat  a  quantity  of  damaged  hard  bread, 
which  had  been  kept  in  reserve  for  times  of  extreme  neces- 
sity, now  remained  on  hand,  and  that  urless  we  would  accept 
of  one  pound  of  that  in  lieu  of  the  po  1  and  a  half  of  sofl 
bi'ead  allowed  by  the  Transport  Board  til  all  they  had  was 
expended,  he  should  no'  serve  us  with  u.  ■  bread,  mtil  Capt. 
Shortland  returned  froi  •  Plymouth. 

The  prisoners  then  collected  themselves  into  c^Tipanies,  to 
consider  of  this  very  extraordinary  conduct  in  tht  contractor ; 
ar^d  after  mature  deliberation,  they  all  concluded  that  it  must 
be  a  design  in  the  contractor  to  get  rid  of  his  damaged  bread 
before  we  went  away,  and  had  taken  thit  opportunity,  while 
the  captain  was  absent,  to  compel  us  to  receive  it  by  starving 
us  till  we  were  willipg;  we  therefore  conclurled  rather  tr  Jie 
by  the  sword,  than  the  famine,  and  determined  to  remain  no 
longer  in  this  starving  condition,  for  we  had  all  this  time 
lived  solely  on  the  four  ar;u  ;;  half  ounces  of  beef.  Thus 
desperate  by  starvation,  wt  Iv  ermined  to  fore  open  the 
gates  m  front  of  the  prison,  r  ot  m  the  soldiers,  break  open 
the  s/ore-house  and  supply  ourselves ;  and  nrovided  the  gar- 


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92 


THE    prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


rison  should  charge  or  fire  upon    us,  to  make   a  general 
attack,  and  take  possession  of  the  guard  house  and  barracks, 
and  stand  the  consequenees  let  come  what  might.     Accord- 
ingly at  dark,  the  prisoners  were  ordered,  as  usual,  inside  the 
prisons  to  be  locked   up  for  the  night,  but  instead  of  com- 
plying with  orders,  a  signal  previously  agreed  on  was  given, 
and   passed  like  lightning  through  every  prison,  and  every 
prisoner  appeared  instantly  at  the  gate  in  one  solid  body;  on 
approaching  the  gates,  and  bursting  open  the  first  three,  the 
soldiers  and  turnkeys  stationed  there,  fled  in  the  utmost  con- 
fusion  and  consternation  to  the  main  body  in  the  guard  house. 
The  alarm-bells    rung  and  the  drums   in   every   direction 
around   he  garrison  beat  to  arms  ;  the  women  in  the  different 
houses  connected  to  the  depot,  flew  in  confusion  and  terror  in 
every  direction  from  the  depot ;  in  a  few  moments  the  alarm 
had  reached  the  neighboring  villages  for  many  miles,  and 
the  militia  assembled  in  arms  to  assist  the  garrison,  whict( 
was  at  this  time  twelve  hundred.    We  stood  arranged  in  front 
of  the  store-house  ready  to  receive  the  attack  of  the  soldiery, 
or  receive  our  usual  allowance  of  bread  ;  in  a  few  moments 
the  soldiers  arrived  and   advanced   with   charged    bayonets 
within  two  yards  of  the  prisoners.    The  soldiers  were  then 
brought  to  a  stand  by  the  threats  of  the  prisoners  who  all 
declared,  in  the  most  determined  tone,  that  if  they  attempted 
to  fire  or  itiake  a  charge  on  them,  they  must  abide  by  any 
consequences  that  would  follow  :  we  told  them  that  we  were 
confident  that  no  such  orders  had  been  issued  by  the  govern- 
ment of  Great  Britain ;  we  also  told  them,  that  unless  the 
bread  was  served  out  immediately,  that  the  store-house  should 
be  levelled    with  the  ground,   and    every  prisoner    should 
march  out  of  the  prison.     The  contractor,  clerks,  &c.  then 
immediately  came  forward  and  entered  into  this  engagement, 
that  if  the  prisoners  would  retire  into  the  prison  yards,  that 
the  bread  should  be  immediately  served  to  them  ;  the  prison- 
ers agreed  and  retired,  and  for  the  securing  the  fulfilment  of 
the  engagement,  they  took  with  them  as  a  hostage  one  of  the 
clerks  iiiside'of  the  prison,  and  there  to  remain  till  every 
prisoner  had  received  his  usual  allowance  of  bread,  which 
was  not  till  after  twelve  o'clock  at  night.     During  this  time, 
the  guards,  soldiers,  keepers,*  and  every  person  connepled 
with  the   prison,   remained   in    the   greatest  apprehension, 
fearing  the  prisoners  had  some  further  intention  than  merely 


OR   DABTMOOR   PRISON. 


El  general 
barracks, 
Accord- 
inside  the 
i  of  com- 
mas given, 
and  every 
body;  on 
three,  the 
tmost  con- 
ard  house, 
direction 
e  different 
1  terror  in 
the  alarm 
niles,  and 
Dn,  whicl^ 
id  in  front 
?  soldiery, 
moments 
bayonets 
vere  then 
who  all 
attempted 
i  by  any 
we  were 
B  govern- 
nless  the 
ie  should 
should 
&c.  then 
agcment, 
irdst  that 
e  prison- 
ilment  of 
le  of  the 
11  every 
which 
his  time, 
)nnepted 
hension, 
merely 


to  obtain  their  bread  ;  they  feared  their  troubles  would  end  in 
a  more  serious  way,  and  the  prisoners  all  make  their  escape. 
But  next  morning  showed  that  the  p/:'soners  had  no  intentiuo 
of  escaping,  for  during  the  confusioii  of  the  night,  many  of 
them  had  taken  the  opportunity  to  scale  the  walls  in  an  oppo- 
site direction,  while  tht;  attention  of  the  guard  was  taken  up 
with  the  main  body  of  them. 

Thoi>e  that  had  gone  out  after  remaining  all  night,  came  and 
demanded  admittance  into  prison  again.  This  movement  in 
the  prisoners  astonished  the  natives  of  the  moor,  who  left  va- 
cant their  huts  and  fled  for  safety;  and  the  women  and  child- 
ren had  retired  to  the  nearest  towns,  and  there  took  refuge, 
and  the  men  had  joined  the  garrison  for  protection. 

During  the  night  an  express  was  sent  to  Plymouth  to  ac- 
q':aint  Capt.  Shoitland  of  the  event,  and  that  the  prisoners  httd 
complete  possession  of  the  whole  garrison,  and  the  control  of 
all  fnings  at  Dartmoor.  In  the  morning  Capt  Shortland  ar- 
rived with  a  reinforcement  of  two  hundred  soldiers ;  but  found 
all  things  quiet  and  tranquil ;  as  the  prisoners  had  obtained 
their  usual  allowance  of  bread,  they  were  satisfied  and  sought 
nothing  more.  Capt.  Shonhind  made  an  apology  for  the  con> 
duct  of  the  contractor,  and  things  passed  on  tolerably  well ; 
but  ffreat  suspicions  remained  among  the  people  \yho  had.  for- 
merly attended  the  market,  and  these  had  spread  abroad  an4 
become  the  general  opinion  outside  the  walls,  that  the  Ameri- 
cai^  prisoners  being  detained  so  long' since  the  ratification  had 
arrived,  now  three  weeks,  in  which  time  Mr.  Beasley  might 
have  had  all  discharged  and  on  their  passage  to  the  United 
States,  had  grown  impatient ;  and  as  no  ships  had  yet  sailed 
from  London  to  receive  them,  their  forbearance  was  quite  ex- 
hausted, and  from  some  threats  that  had  been  thrown  out  by 
some  of  the  prisoners  in  presence  of  the  market  people,  that  rf 
the  agept  of  their  country  did  not  procure  their  release  within 
one  inonth  from  the  arrival  of  the  treaty,  that  they  would  takfi 
their  liberty  in  a  body,  being  determined  to  risk  their  lives  at 
all  hazards,  and  depend  on  their  own  exertions  for  their  liber- 
ty among  armed  soldiers,  rather  than  remain  in  the  wretched 
condition  they  were  then  in.  These  suspicions  had  gone  so 
much  abroad,  that  every  body  about  the  prison  was  apprehen- 
sive the  prisoners  would  make  the  attempt  to  escape  in  a  body, 
and  some  unhappy  issue  grow  out  of  it.  But  the  prisoners 
generally  had  no  design  of  escaping,  as  by  that  means  they 


94 


THE  prisoner's  MEMOIRS, 


I 


31 


would  lose  theii'  opportunity  of  returning  home  in  the  cjartels. 
On  the  sixth,  we  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Beasley,  on  the 
subject  of  our  discharge,  and  informed  him  that  we  had  made 
application  to  the  British  Government  to  interfere  in  forward- 
ing our  release,  as  he,  Mr.  Beasley,  had  delayed  the  tjme  al- 
ready nearly  one  month,  and  had  only  procured  three  ships, 
and  them  still  in  London,  when  at  the  same  time  ships  could 
have  been  procured  at  Plymouth,  on  equally  as  good  terms  as 
at  London,  which  would,  with  very  little  exertion  on  the  part 
of  Mr.  Beasley,  have  released  the  greater  part  of  the  prisoners 
in  two  weeks  from  the  arrival  of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty. 

The  story  I  am  about  to  relate  is  of  the  deepest  concern,  as 
well  to  every  citizen  of  the  United  States  as  to  those  who  were 
the  immediate  subjects  of  it.  The  event  concerns  the  interest 
of  both  governments,  and  deserve  to  be  treated  in  the  most 
candid  and  impartial  manner  ;  every  transaction  wherel)y  the 
intention  of  those  acting  in  it  can  be  discovered,  require  to  be 
shoi^n  in  the  purest  and  most  open  view.  \ 

That  the  public  may  have  all  that  can  be  known  on  this 
important  subject.  I  purpose  to  lay  before  them,  in  the  first  in- 
stance, what  passed  within  my  own  knowledge,  that  I  myself 
was  witness  to  ;  then  to  give  them  the  report  of  the  committee 
appointed  by  the  prisoners  to  investigate  the  circumstances  of 
the  massacre  ;  and  lastly,  to  give  the  report  o£  the  agents  ap- 
pointed  by  the  two  governments. 

What  one  of  that  Nation,  or  what  soldier  of  that  hardened, 
wretched  band,  can  refrain  from  tears  even  while  he  relates  the 
murderous  deeds  ? 

"  What  blind,  deteflted  madness  could  afford, 
Saoh  horrid  license  to  the  murd'ring  sword !" 

Though  the  scene  is  of  painful  memory,  and  my  soul  shud* 
ders  at  the  remembrance,  and  hath  shrunk  back  with  grief  at 
the  thought,  yet  will  I  relate  what  my  eyes  hath  seen  and  roy 
ears  heard. 

On  the  sixth  of  this  month,  April,  about  six  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  Capt.  Shortland  discovered  a  hole  in  the  inner  wall, 
that  separates  the  barrack- yard  from  prison  No.  6  arid  7;  this 
hole  had  been  made  in  the  afternoon  by  some  prisoners  out  of 
mere  play,  without  any  design  to  escape. 

On  discovering  the  hole,  Capt.  Shortland  seemed  instantly 


OR  DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


95 


I  the  cartels, 
sley,  on  the 
ve  had  made 
J  in  forward- 

the  tjme  al- 

three  ships, 
;  ships  could 
ood  terms  as 
1  on  the  part 
he  prisoners 
jf  the  treaty. 

concern,  as 
se  who  were 
3  the  interest 
in  the  most 

whereljy  the 
require  to  be 

own  on  this 
n  the  first  in- 
lat  I  myself 
le  committee 
imstances  of 
e  agents  ap- 

tut  hardened, 
le  relates  the 


f  soul  shud' 
ith  grief  at 
een  and  my 

lock  in  the 
inner  wall, 
irid  7 ;  this 
>ners  out  of 

instantly 


I 


to  conceive  the  murderous  design ;  for,  without  giving  the 
prisoners  any  notice  to  retire,  he  planted  soldiers  in  proper 
positions  on  the  top  of  the  wall,  where  they  could  best  assist 
ID  perpetrating  his  murderous  and  barbarous  deeds. 

A  few  minutes  past  six,  while  the  prisoners  were  innocent- 
ly,  and  unapprehensive  of  danger,  walking  in  the  prison  yards 
and  those  in  No.  1,  3  and  4  were  particularly  so,  a's  the  yards 
of  these  prisons  are  entirely  separated  every  way  from  the 
ard  in  which  the  bole  in  the  wall  had  been  made — the  alarm 
ells  rung,  and  the  drums  of  the  garrison  in  every  direction 
beat  to  arms  ;  this  was  about  ten  minutes  past  six. 

This  sudden  and  unexpected  alarm  excited  the  attention  of 
all  the  prisoners,  who,  out  of  curiosity  made  immediately  for 
the  prison  yard  to  inquire  the  reason  of  the  alarm. 

Among  so  many  as  were  in  this  depot,  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  some  mischievous  persons  were  among  them, 
aud  among  those  collected  at  the  gate  were  some  such  persons 
who  forced  the  gate  open,  whether  by  accident  or  design  I 
will  hot  attempt  to  say  ;  but  without  any  intention  of  making  an 
escape,  and  totally  unknown  to  every  man,  except  the  few  who 
stood  in  front  of  the  gates ;  those  back  naturally  crowded  for- 
ward to  see  what  was  going  on  at  the  gates  ;  this  pressed  and 
forced  a  nutflber  through  the  gates,  quite  contiary  to  the  in- 
tention of  either  those  in  front  or  those  in  rear. 

While  in  this  situation  Capt.  Shortland  entered  the  inner 
square,  at  the  head  of  the  whole  body  of  soldier*;  in  the  garri- 
son ;  as  soon  as  they  entered,  Capt.  Shortland  took  sole 
command  of  the  whole,  and  immediately  drew  up  the  soldiers 
in  a  position  to  charge. 

The  soldier-officers,  perceiving  by  tnis  move  the  horrid  and 
murderous  design  of  Capt.  Shortlana,  resigned  their  authority 
over  the  soldiers,  and  refused  to  take  any  part,  or  give  any 
orders  for  the  troop  to  fire. 

They  saw  by  this  time  that  the  terrified  prisoners  were  re- 
tiring as  fast  as  so  great  a  crowd  would  permit,  and  hurrying 
and  flying  in  terrible  flight,  in  every  direction,  to  their  re- 
spective prisons. 

The  troop  had  now  advanced  within  three  yards  of  the 
prisoners,  when  Capt.  Shortland  gave  them  orders  to  charge 
upon  them  ;  at  this  time  the  prisoners  had  all  got  within  their 
respective  prison  yards,  and  were  flying  with  the  greatest  pre- 
cipitation from  the  point  of  the  bayonet ;  the  doors  now  being 


96 


THIS  prisoner's  memoirs, 


full  of  the  terrified  crowd,  they  could  not  enter  as  fast  as  they 
wished :  at  this  moment  of  dismay,  Capt.  Shortland  was  dis- 
tinctly heard  to  give  orders  to  the  troops  to  fire  upon  the  pris- 
oners, although  now  completely  in  his  power,  and  their  lives 
at  his  disposal,  and  had  oflfered  no  violence,  nor  attempted  to 
resist,  and  thi  spates  all  closed. 

The  order  was  immediately  obeyed  by  his  soldiers,  and  they 
discharged  a  full  volley  of  musketry  into  the  main  body  ofthe 
prisoners,  on  the  other  side  of  the  iron  railings  whicH  separat- 
ed  the  prisoners  from  the  soldiers. 

These  volleys  were  repeated  for  several  rounds,  and  the 
prisoners  falling,  either  dead  or  Wornded,  in  ail  directions, 
while  it  was  yet  impossible  for  them  to  enter  the  prison,  on 
accountof  the  numbers  that  flew  there  for  refuge  from  the  rage 
ofthe  blood  thirsty  murderer. 

In  the  midst  of  this  horrid  slaughter,  one  man  among  the 
rear  prisoners,  with  great  presence  of  mind  and  the  most  un- 
daunted courage,  turned  and  advanced  to  the  soldiers,  amidst 
the  fire  of  hurdreds,  and  while  his  fellow-prisoners  were  rall- 
ihg  all  around  him,  and  in  an  humble  and  ipuppliant  manner, 
with  his  hat  in  his  hand,  this  resolute  soul,  in  the  face  of 
danger  and  death,  implored  mercy  of  Capt.  Shortland  to  spare 
his  countrymen.  "O  I  spare  my  countrymen  f'Vhe  cried,  *'0! 
Captain,  torbear,  don't  kill  us  all."  To  this  supplication,  this 
cruel,  inexorable  Shortland  replied,  '^Retire,  you  dammed  ras- 
cal; I'll  hear  to  nothing."  The  soldiers  then  pricked  him 
with  their  bayonets,  which  compelled  him  to  retreat  to  the  prison 
door,  where  he  must  wait  his  doom  with  the  other  unfortu- 
nate prisoners,  till  the  soldiers,  who  had  now  entered  the  dif- 
ferent prison  yards,  and  were  pursuing  and  firing  should  dis- 
patch him  with  the  rest 

To  do  justice  to  the  merits  of  this  young  man,  I  must  inform 
the  public  that  his  name  is  Greenlow,  of  Virginia,  and  late  a 
midshipman  in  the  United  States  navy,  but  now  a  prisoner  of 
theci'ew  ofthe  privateer  Prince  of  Neufchattel. 

The  soldiers  now  advanced,  making  a  general  massacre  of 
men  and  boys,  whom  accident  or  impossibil'ty  had  left  with- 
out the  doors  ofthe  prison ;  they  advanced  near  to  the  crowded 
doors,  and  instantly  discharged  another  volley  of  musketry  on 
the  backs  of  those  6irthest  out,  endeavoring  to  force  their  pas- 
isage  into  the  prison. 

Ffais  barbarous  act  was  repeated  in  the  presence  of  this  in- 


OR  DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


^7 


s  fast  as  ihey 
land  was  dis- 
pen  the  pris- 
d  their  lives 
attempted  to 

ers,  and  they 
n  body  of  the 
hich  separate 

ids,  and  the 
1  directions, 
e  prison,  on 
roin  the  rage 

I  among  the 
he  most  un- 
Hers,  anjidst 
rs  were  iall- 
iant  manner, 
1  the  face  of 
and  to  spare 
e  cried,  *'0! 
ication,  this 
lammed  ras- 
)ricked  him 
o  the  prison 
ler  unfortu- 
red  the  dif- 
should  dis- 

nust  inform 
and  late  a 
prisoner  of 

lassacre  of 
left  with- 
e  crowded 
isketry  on 
their  pas- 

ofthis  iD> 


human  monster,  Shortland — and  the  prisoners  fell,  either  dead 
or  severely  wounded,  in  ail  directions,  before  his  savage  sight. 

But  his  vengeance  was  not  glutted  by  the  cruel  murder  of 
the  innocent  men  and  boys  that  lay  weltering  and  bleeding  in 
the  groans  and  agonies  of  death  along  the  prison-doors,  but 
turned  and  traversed  the  yard,  and  hunted  a  poor  affrighted 
wretch,  that  had  flew  for  safety  close  under  the  walls  of  prison 
No.  1,  and  dared  not  move  lest  he  should  be  discovered,  and 
immediat>3  death  be  his  lot. 

But,  alas!  the  unhappy  man  was  discovered  by  these  hell- 
hounds, with  this  demon  at  their  head,'  and  with  cool  and  de- 
liberate malice,  drew  up  their  muskets  to  their  shoulders  and 
despatched  the  unhappy  victim,  while  in  the  act  of  imploring 
mercy  from  their  hands.  His  only  crime  was  not  being  able 
to  get  into  the  prison  without  being  shot  before. 

In  the  yard  of  No.  7,  they  found  in  their  hunt  another 
hapless  victim,  crouching  close  along  the  wall  at  the  far  end 
of  the  yard,  and  fearing  to  breathe,  lest  he  should  share  the 
fate  of  his  unfortunate  countrymen  that  had  already  fallen  a 
sacrifice  to  the  rage  of  this  lawless  Vinditti ;  when,  O  !  cruel 
to  relate,  five  of  them  drew  up  the  instruments  of  death,  and  by 
the  order  of  this  fell  murderer,  discharged  their  contents  into 
the  body  of  this  innocent  man,  while  begging  them  to  spare 
his  life ! 

This  Nero^  now  having  accomplished  his  murderous  de- 
signs, retired  with  his  troops  from  the  yard,  and  left  it  a  hor- 
rid scene  of  his  relentless  rage ! 

The  dead  and  the  wounded  lay  scattered  about  the  yard ; 
seven  were  killed  dead  on  the  spot,  and  six  with  the  loss  of  a 
leg  or  an  arm,  and  dangerously  wounded  ;  several  were  pro- 
nounced mortal.  The  names  of  t  very  man,  either  killed  or 
wounded  will  be  given  in  the  catalogue  annexed. 

As  it  was  much  feased  the  murderers  would  endeavor  to 
conceal  many  of  the  dead,  Dr.  McGrath,  head  surgeon  of  the 
Hospital,  an  honest  skillful  man,  entered  immediately  afler 
Shortland  retired,  and  exerted  his  utmost  ability  in  collecting 
the  dead  and  wounded  from  the  several  prison  yards,  and  con- 
veying them  to  the  Hospital. 

At  the  same  time  he  sent  to  the  neighboring  towns  to  call 
in  the  aid  of  medical  gentlemen  that  resided  there  ;  he  also  de- 
manded admittance  into  the  prisons,  which  were  now  closed, 


9 


96 


THE   PKIS0MER8     MEMOIRS, 


to  receive  the  dead  and  wounded  ihat  had  reached  the  inside 
of  the  prison. 

A  despatch  wab  immediately  sent  to  Plymouth,  to  infoim  the 
Admiral  and  Commodore,  and  the  Commander  in  Chief  of  the 
Military  Department,  of  the  fatal  sixlh  of  April,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  fifteen;  which  day  must  be  of  horrid 
memory  to  every  American,  whose  mind  will  revolt  with  in- 
dignity at  the  name  of  SHORTLAND  AND  THE  iVJASSA- 
ORE  AT  DARTMOOR !  I 

Shortland  !  thou  foul  monster  and  inhuman  villain  !  is  thy 
soul  glutted  with  the  blood  of  the  innocent  victims,  that  Fate 
had  doomed  to  thy  revengeful  and  blood-thirsty  power  ?  .  I  ap- 
peal to  the  world  to  say  whether  the  conduct  of  Warren  Has- 
tings, whether  the  massacre  of  St.  Domingo,  can  exceed  the 
horrid  catastrophe  of  this  ill-fated  night,  conducted  under  the 
immediate  inspection  of  your  murderous  eye?  and  should  the 
laws  of  your  country  not  doom  you  to  a  death  of  the  most  se- 
vere nature  as  a  public  example  for  your  well  known  crimes? 
Your  whole  nation  is  involved  as  a  black  accomplice  in  you| 
monstrous  guilt ;  and  the  blood  of  my*  unfortunate  countrymen, 
shed  by  your  base  hand,  must  ever  remam  a  stain  to  the  char- 
acter of  your  nation. 

Tell  me,  t/e  bloody  butchers  !  and  thou  who  contrived,  as 
well  as  ye  who  executed  the  execrable  design  ,hovv  dare  ye 
breathe  that  air,  which  wafted  to  the  ear  of  Majesty  the  groans 
of  the  wounded  and  the  dying  ?  How  dare  ye  tread  that  earth 
which  is  wet  with  the  blood  of  the  innocent,  shed  by  your  ac- 
cursed hands?  Do  not  the  goads  and  stinga  of  conscious  guilt 
wound  you  in  your  daily  walks?  Do  not  the  ghosts  of  the 
murdered  rise  before  you  in  your  nightly  dreams? 

On  the  morning  of  the  seventh,  by  order  of  thecommander- 
m-chief  at  Plymouth,  a  Colonel,  with  a  reinforcement  of 
troops,  arrived  and  took  command  of  the  depot.  Immediately 
on  his  arrival,  he  sent  notice  to  the  prisoners  of  his  taking  «he 
CQijamand,  and  that  Capt.  Shortland  wished  the  prisoners  to 
appoint  some  few  men  to  receive  the  explanation  of  his  last 
night's  conduct;  but  we  unanimously  agreed,  and  despatched 
a  letter  to  the  Colonel,  acquainting  him  that  as  citizens  of  the 
Uii^ited  States  of  America,  we  should  conceive  it  a  disgrace  to 
the  national  character  of  our  cout^try  to  hold  any  commdnica- 
tion  with  the  murderer  of  our  fellow-citizens.  But  provided 
the  Colonel  should  require  any  conference  with  the  prisoners. 


OK   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


99 


they  should  at  any  time  with  pleasure  aitcnd,  and  explain  the 
nature  of  every  past  event 

^The  Colonel,  requesting  a  conference,  came  .to  the  gate  at- 
tended by  the  guilty  Shortland,  who  could  not  now  disguise 
the  guilt  of  his  crime ;  he  could  not  look  a  prisoner  in  the  face  ; 
as  he  walked  along  towards  the  prison  bars  with  his  eyes  fix- 
ed on  the  ground,  and  as  he  came  to  the  spot  where,  a  few 
hours  before,  lay  one  of  our  murdered  countrymen,  he  saw  the 
blood,  and  faintly  attempted  to  speak  ;  but  the  monitor  of  Hea- 
ven was  not  quite  overcome  by  the  powers  of  Hell,  and  be 
could  not  utter  a  word.  After  several  efforts  he  hesitatingly 
attempted  to  justify  his  conduct  by  saying  it  was  a  part  of  his 
duty,  which  was  grounded  on  the  fefii  he  had  ofthe  prisoners 
making  an  attempt  to  escape,  and  imputed  partof  the  fault  to 
Mr.  Beasley,  in  driving  the  prisoners  to  a  state  of  desperation 
by  his  great  delay  of  sending  them  home. 

The  Colonel  very  patiently  heard  the  stories  of  both  parties, 
and  promised  a  jury  of  inquest  should  be  held  over  the  bodies 
of  our  departed  countrymen  the  next  day,  and  a  strict  investi- 
gation of  every  circumstance  of  the  event  had,  according  to 
evidence. 

At  nine  o'clock  we  hoisted  the  colors  half-mast  on  every 
prison  ;  we  then  visited  the  Hospital,  but  the  spectacle  was 
painful  indeed,  and  enough  to  freeze  the  blood  of  the  most 
hardened  parricide  ;  the  tables  were  covered  with  the  amputa- 
ted 4egs  and  arms  of  our  fellow-prisoners,  and  our  ears  stunned 
with  the  groans  of  forty-two,  wounded  in  the  most  shocking 
manner  ;  and  seven  lay  dead  as  sokmn  witnesses  ofthe  horrid 
act. 

We  then  returned  to  the  prisons  and  appointed  a  committee 
often  to  take  depositions  of  a  great  number  of  persons  who 
were  best  acquainted  with  the  particular  facts.  The  commit- 
tee being  severally  sworn,  proceeded  to  make  all  possible  in- 
quiry into  the  circumstances  ofthe  massacre,  and  prepare  every 
testimony  to  lay  before  the  jury  which  were  to  sit  over  the 
bodie§  the  next  day. 

At  two  in  the  afternoon  arrived  an  Admiral  and  another 
officer  of  high  rank  in  his  Majesty's  navy,  and  after  intro- 
ducing themselves  to  the  prisoners,  in  a  very  friendly  and 
feeling  manner,  expressed  their  extreme  regret  for  the  horrid 
and  barbarous  act  of  Capt.  Shortland,  and  informed  vs  that 
they  had  come  clothed  with  proper  authority  to  make  inquiry  ' 


*' 


f^ 


100 


THE  prisoner's  memoirs, 


I 


» 


into  the  conductor  Capt.  Shortlnud  in  the  late  unhappy  event 
and  his  conduct  during  his  agency  at  the  pri&on.  They  as- 
sured us,  that  he  would  be  called  to  an  account  by  the  govern- 
ment, and  that  a  fair  investigation  should  be  had  of  all  his  con- 
duct. 

I  have  omitted  to  mention  a  circumstance  which  occurred 
during  the  dreadful  scene  of  the  night.  A  lamp-lighter,  who 
was  in  the  act  of  lighting  the  lamp  at  the  door  of  prison  No. 
3,  in  which  I  myself  resided,  being  compelled  to  take  refuge 
among  ihe  prisoners,  was  forced  by  the  hurrying  group  into 
the  prison.  Me  belonged  to  the  same  regiment  of  soldiers 
who  were  that  moment  committing  these  most  horrid  outrages. 
He  was  immediately  seized  by  the  prisoners,  and  conveyed  to 
a  particular  part  of  the  prison,  and  the  prisoners  being  in  the 
most  enraged  state,  it  was  immediately  proposed  to  put  him 
to  dcith,  and  sacrifice  him  to  our  resentment,  as  a  just  retalia- 
tion of  our  injury  ;  but  on  cool  deliberation  and  debate  through- 
out the  prison,  it  was  thought  better  to  spar^  him;  and  to  the 
pleasing  astonishment  of  this  man,  half  dead  with  fear,  he  was 
told  to  rest  easy,  for  his  life  should  not  be  taken,  but  he  should 
be  preserved,  that  the  whole  world  might  distinguish  the  dif- 
ference of  humanity  between  unprovoked  British  soldiers, 
and  the  injured  and  provoked  American  seamen  ;  accordingly, 
when  the  doors  were  opened  to  take  out  the  wounded,  the  man 
was  released,  which  astonished  and  c  nfounded  the  whole 
soldiery,  who  felt  the  force  of  the  reproach  wiih  the  keenest 
remorse,  and  were  compelled  to  express  the  highest  respect 
for  this  generous  revenge. 

The  following  is  a  correct  list  of  killed  and  wounded  on  the  6th 
of  April,  I8\b,  and  contains  a  true  statement  of  their  con- 
dition at  12  o'^clock  on  the  Sth  day  of  the  same  month. 

Killed. 

John  Haywood,  black,  Virginia,  discharged  ;  the  ball  entered 
a  little  posterior  to  the  acromion  of  the  left  shoulder,  and 
passed  obliquely  upwards ;  made  about  the  middle  of  the 
right  side  its  egress  of  the  neck. 

Thomas  Jackson,  N.  Y.  Orbit  of  N.  Y.,  the  ball  ent(\red  the 
left  side  of  the  belly  nearly  in  a  line  with  the  navel,  and 
made  its  egress  a  little  below  the  false  ribs  in  the  opposite 
side;   a  large   portion  of  the   intestinal  canal  protruded 


OR    DABTMOOB    PBI80N. 


101 


through  the  wound  made  by  the  ingress  of  the  ball.     He 
languished  until  3  o'clock  of  the  7th,  when  he  died. 

John  Washington,  Maryland,  Rolla  privateer;  the  ball  en- 
tered at  the  squamore  process  of  the  left  temporal  bone,  and 
passing  through  the  head,  made  its  exit  a  little  below  the 
cruceen  ridge  of  the  occipital  bone. 

James  Mann,  Boston,  Giro;  the  ball  entered  at  the  inferior 
angle  of  the  left  scapula,  and  lodged  under  the  integument 
of  the  right  pectoral  muscle.  In  its  course,  it  passed 
through  ihe  inferior  margin  of  the  right  and  left  lobes  of  the 
lungs. 

Joseph  Tok' r  Johnson,  not  known;  the  ball  entered  at  the 
inferior  angle  of  the  left  scapula,  penetrated  the  heart,  and 
passing  through  both  lobes  of  the   lungs,  made  its  egress 

.  at  the  right  axilla. 

William  Leverage,  N.  Y.,  Saratoga;  the  ball  entered  about 
the  middle  of  the  left  arm,  through  which  it  passed,  and 
penetrating  the  corresponding  side,  betwixt  the  second  and 
third  ribs,  passing  through  the  left  lobe  of  the  lungs,  the 
mediartenum,  and  over  the  right  lobe,  lodged  betwixt  the 
fifth  and  sixth  ribs. 

James  Campbell,  N.  Y.,  discharged  ;  the  ball  entered  at  the 
outer  angle  of  the  right  eye,  and  in  its  course  fractured 
and  depressed  the  greater  part  of  the  frontal  bone,  fractured 
the  nasal  bones,  and  made  its  egress  above  the  orbital 
ridge  of  the  left  eye.  He  languished  until  the  morning 
of  the  8lh,  when  he  died. 

Danoerousey  Wounded,  and  Limbs  Amputated  imme- 
diately ON   THE   NIGHT   OF   THE   8IXTH. 

John  Gray,  Virginia,  prize  to  the  Paul  Jones,  left  arm. 

James  Wills,  Marblehead,  Paul  Jones,  left  arm. 

James  Trumbullj  Portland,  Maine,  Elbridge  Gerry,  left  arm. 

Robbert  Willett,  Portland,  Maine,  left  thigh. 

Thomas  Smith,  New- York,  Panl  Jones,  left  thigh. 

John  Gier,  Boston,  Rambler,  left  thigh. 

Wm.  Leversage,  N.  Y.,  Magdalen,  right  thumb. 

Dangerously  Wounded,  Limbs  not  Amputatjsd 

on  the  eighth. 

Thomas   Findley,  Marblehead,  Enterprise,  wounded  in  the 

thigh  and  back. 
Ephraim  Linson. 

9* 


I"':. 


102 


TBX    PRISOIIBRS'   MBMOIRB, 


John  Hogerberth,  Philadelphia,  Good  Friends,  of  do.,  thigh 

and  hip. 
William  Blake,  Kennebeck,  discharged,  M.  W., three  wounds 

in  the  body. 
Peter  Wilson,  New- York,  Virginia  Planter,  in  the  hand. 
James  Israel,  do.,  do.,  thigh. 
Jacob  Davis,  do.,  do.,  thigh. 

Caleb  Cotton,  Taunlon,  Mass.,  M.  W.,  two  places  in  the  body. 
John  Roberts,  do.,  do.,  thigh. 

Joseph  Phipps,  Old  Concord,  Zebra,  thigh  and  belly. 
William  Lamb,  do.,  do.,  eyes. 

Edward  Gardner,  Marblehead,  impressed,  in  the  wrist. 
William  Appleby,  New-York,  Magdelen,  arm. 
James  Bell,  Philadelphia,  Joel  Barlow,  wrist  and  thigh. 
Philip  Ford,  Philadelphia,  impressed,  five    wounds,   side, 

breast,  back  and  thigh. 
James  Birch,  thigh.  i 

Henry  Montcalm,   Roxbury,   Mass..  Governor   Tompkips, 

knee. 
Andrew  Garrison,  thigh  and  head. 
Robert  Tadley,  Bath,  Maine,  Grand  Turk,  privates. 
William  Penn,  Virginia,  impressed,  thigh. 
Joseph  Reugh,  thigh. 

Thaddeus  Kowcrd,  Rochester,  Mass.,  Hart  of  Bedford,  leg. 
Edward  Banker,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  impressed,  back. 
Thomas  George,  Norfolk,  Virginia,  U.  S.  Rattlesnake,  thigh. 
Alexander  Wilson,  Providence,  R.  I.,  Leo,  hand  and  leg. 
John  Surrey,  N.  Y.,  French  privateer,  cheek. 
Nathaniel  Wakeneld,  Beverly,  Mass.,  Ciro,  right  knee. 
Samuel  E  Tyler,  Boston,  Tom,  thigh  and  arm. 
Joseph  Reaver,  Salem,  Mass.,  legs  and  thighs. 
Stephen  S.  Vincent,  New-Jersey,  head  and  ears. 
James  Christie,  Tickler,  different  places. 
William  Smith,  New- York. 
Robert  Willet,  Portland,  man  of  war,  knee. 

Slightly  Wounded. 

Ephraim  Lincoln,  Boston,  Argus,   by  the   bayonet. 
Greenlaw,  Virginia,  different  places. 
James  Newman,  Baltimore,  impressed,  by  the  bayonet. 
Alexander  Peterson,  New-Yorlt,  Erin,  Boston,  by  the  bayonet. 


OR    DAR  "MOOR  PRISON. 


103 


Joseph  Music,  Charleston,  S.  C,  impressed,  by  the  bayonet. 

John  Willet,  Philadelphia,  by  the  bayonet. 

Joseph  Hindil,  Philadelphia,  Young  Wasp,  in  the  hand. 

Perry  Richardson,  Bath,  Maine,  Rolla,  by  the  bayonet.  • 

John  Cowen,  Teezer,  by  the  bayonet. 

James  Barker,  Wiscasset,  Elbndge  Gerry,  by  the  bayonet. 

James  Wedgewood,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  Lark,  in  the  head. 

James  Mathews,  Delaware,  by  the  bayonet. 

John  Murray,  New-York,  by  the  bayonet. 

William  Marshal,  Lawrence,  by  the  bayonet. 

Thomas  Johnson,  Albany,  Criterion,  by  the  bayonet. 

The  list  of  killed  and  wounded  contains  all  that  could  be 
ascertained  at  that  time,  but  great  suspicions  remained  among 
the  prisoners  that  more  had  been  killed  than  were  certainly 
known,  as  some  were  missing,  and  not  to  be  k  'ind  among  the 
living  or  the  dead  ;  it  was  supposed  tha^  these  had  been 
killed,  and  being  mangled  in  a  most  shocking  manner,  were 

Erivately  taken  away  by  Capt.  Shortland,  and  buried  that  night, 
efore  Doctor  Magrath  entered  the  yard,  and  a  report  pre- 
vailed that  he  had  done  it:  as  great  numbers  who  were 
slightly  wounded  did  not  go  to  the  hospital,  I,  to  ascertain 
the  exact  number  of  killed  and  wounded,  took  the  list  of 
those  in  the  hospital,  from  the  doctor's  books,  and  every 
prison  mustered  all  those  that  refused  going  to  the  hospital, 
by  which  means  the  list  can  be  depended  on  as  strictly 
correct. 

At' twelve  o'clock,  at  noon,  on  the  eighth,  a  jury  of  inquest 
arrived,  composed  of  twelve  farmers,  and  a  coroner,  and  sat 
over  the  bodies  of  our  murdered  countrymen  ;  they  began  to 
take  the  depositions  of  the  prisoners  and  turnkeys,  d  pro- 
ceeded on  till  seven  in  the  evening,  and  adjourned  till  next 
morning. 

The  evidence  of  the  prisoners  corresponded  with  the  state- 
ment in  a  preceding  page. 

On  the  morning  of  the-  ninth,  the  dead  not  yet  being  buried, 
the  jury  sat  over  them  again,  and  proceeded  on  with  the  evi- 
dence on  both  sides,  which  consisted  of  -Dr.  Magrath,  whose 
evidence  was  against  Shortland,  prisoners,  turnkeys,  soldier- 
officers,  soldiers,  &c. 

The  summary  of  the  evidence  I  shall  give  presently ;  but 
I  must  here  digress  a  little  to  give  some  circumstacces  that 
intervened  betwixt  the  taking  of  the  depositions,  and  the 
verdict  of  the  jury. 


-■■'■*, 


■VH 


104 


THE   PBISONBBS'  MBM0IB8, 


This  morning  an  order  arrived  for  the  discharge  of  thirty, 
four  prisoners,  who  had  applied  to  be  released  to  man  ships 
in  difiereni  parts  of  Europe. 

During  the  eighth  and  ninth,  the  prisoners  made  every 
inquiry  ia  their  power  to  learn  whether  any  were  missing, 
who  were  not  included  among  the  dend,  wounded,  or  dis- 
charged ;  but  nothing  satisfactory  could  be  obtained,  but  only 
a  report  that  after  the  prisons  were  closed,  Capt.  Shprtland 
had  secretly  buried  some  of  the  most  mangled  bodies,  before 
Dr.  Mag  rath  entered,  as  he  is  a  man  of  integrity,  feeling, 
candor,  firmness,  and  unshaken  veracity,  as  vyell  as  genius 
and  skill,  tb<u  no  favor  ov  affection  could  swerve  from  the 
truth.  Shor'.land  v/ould  therefore  endeavor  to  conceal  as 
much  as  possible  from  him,  as  whatever  came  within  his 
knowledge,  came  out  without  fear  or  reward,  and  was  much 
against  the  conduct  of  Capt.  Shortland.  On  the  morning  of 
the  seventh,  as  before  mentioned,  we  ascertained  by  the  tes- 
timony of  those  persons  whose  names  are  mentioned  in  the 
certificate  to  this  work,  the  particulars  of  the  killed  and 
wounded,  whose  names  have  been  already  mentioned,  the 
number  of  which  and  their  situation,  were  as  follows: 

Seven  were  killed  dead  in  the  yards,  and  in  the  prisons. 
Six  suffered  amputation  of  a  leg  or  an  arm.  Thirty-eight 
dangerously  wounded  and  many  supposed  to  be  mortal  by  the 
surgeon  of  the  depot.  Twelve  slightly  wounded.  The  total 
amount  of  killed  and  wounded  sixty-three.  Among  these 
were  many  mangled  in  the  most  horrid  manner,  having 
received  five,  six,  and  seven  wounds  apiece  from  the  bayonet. 
Hundreds  of  the  prisoners  very  narrowly  escaped,  having 
received  several  shots  through  the  hats  and  clothes. 

We  have  just  discovered  that  the  soldiers  here  at  present 
are  the  Somersetshire  militia;  and  the  garrison  consists  of 
fifteen  hundred  soldiers  of  difierent  military  classes. 

On  the  evening  of  the  ninth,  the  inquest,  consisting  of 
twelve  peasants,  dependants  of  Capt.  Shortland,  delivered  in 
this  most  cxlraordinary  and  unjust  verdict,  of  Justifiable 
Homicide;  such  a  verdict  astonished  every  person,  who  was 
not  particeps  criminis.  This  verdict  seems  to  have  been 
given  against  evidence ;  a  summary  of  which  on  both'sides  I 
shall  now  proceed  to  give  the  reader,  that  he  may  judge  for 
himself  It  appeared  from  the  different  witnesses  before 
mentioned,  that  the  hole  made  in  the  \/  til  was  unknown  to 


OR   DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


t05 


nown  to 


more  than  three-fourths  of  the  prisoners  confined  m  the  yard 
of  No.  5  and  7,  where  the  hole  was  made,  and  that  no  com- 
bination had  ever  been  entered  into  by  any  of  the  prisoners 
to  escape ;  it  was  also  proved  that  the  prisoners  cor.  fined  in 
the  yards  of  No.  I,  3  &  4,  were  totally  ignorant  of  there  being 
any  hole  in  the  wail.  It  was  proved  that  the  gates  were  broken 
open  by  a  man  in  the  state  of  intoxication,  and  unknown  to 
the  prisoners,  and  that  when  broken  open  it  waj  in  the 
power  of  the  sentry  to  have  taken  the  offender  and  confined 
him  without  any  resistance  of  the  prisoners.  It  was  also 
proved  that  they  came  running  to  the  gate  out  of  curiosity,  to 
learn  the  occasion  of  the  alarm  bells  ringing  ;  that  tiie  few 
persons  (who  were  not  above  fifty,)  flocked  into  the  .square, 
were  carried  out  of  the  gates  by  the  numbers  pressing  in  the 
rear  to  gratify  their  curiosity  ;  that  no  stones  or  clubs  were 
thrown  while  they  wt're  in  this  situation  ;  that  they  all  imme- 
diaiely  retired  into  the  yards  of  their  respective  prisons,  and 
shut  the  gates  after  them  ;  that  Capt.  Shortland  took  the  im- 
mediate command  of  the  soldiers,  and  ordered  them  to  fire  on 
the  prisoners;  that  on  firing  the  prisoners  made  all  possible 
exertion  to  gain  the  inside  of  the  prison  ;  but  some  fell 
before  they  could  reach  it ;  that  the  soldiers  pursued  and 
fired  into  the  prisons  and  killed  two  within  the  prison  ;  that 
the  soldiers  on  the  ramparts  singled  out  the  prisoners,  and 
fired  and  killed  them,  as  they  were  going  into  the  prisons; 
that  after  all  the  prisoners  had  got  in,  except  some  few, 
being  frightened,  and  not  able  (o  get  into  the  prisons, 
ran  for  refuge  close  to  the  walls,  and  were  fired  upon 
singly,  and  either  killed  or  wounded  by  several  soldiers  firing 
at  one.  That  an  officer  of  low  rank  assisted  under  the  com- 
mand of  Capt.  Shortland,  in  killing  a  boy,  not  over  thirteen 
years  old  !  that  a  prisoner  applied  to  Capt.  Shortland  to 
forbear,  and  stop  the  horrid  massacre,  as  the  prisoners  were 
retiring  as  fast  as  possible,  and  that  Capt.  Shortland  answered, 
„  retire,  you  damned  rascal,  I'll  hear  to  nothing."  It  was 
proved  that  the  turnkeys,  contrary  to  the  invariable  custom, 
had  been  in  anJ  locked  all  the  doors  of  each  prison,  except 
one  ;  there  being  four  doors  to  each  prison,  they  had  ever 
before  been  left  open,  till  a  horn  was  sounded,  and  the  turn- 
keys cried  "turn  in,  turn  in;'*  but  that  night  no  horn  was 
sounded,  nor  was  there  any  cry  to  turn  in,  but  the  doors 
secretly  locked,  which  much  surprised  the  few  that  happened 


106 


THB  PRISONSRS'   MEMOIRS, 


to  see  the  doors  locked,  but  did  not  suspect  any  inisdhief  was 
about  lo  be  done ;  that  this  was  done  some  time  before  the 
usual  hour  for  turning  in.  Also,  that  Capt.  Sbortland  actually 
took  hold  of  a  musket  with  his  own  hands  in  conjunction 
with  a  soldier,  and  fired  the  first  gun.  That  the  soldier- 
officers  were  un-villing  to  give  any  orders  to  the  soldiers,  or 
take  any  active  part  in  the  proceedings. 

From  the  summary  of  the  evidence  above  given,  on  the 
part  of  the  prisoners,  it  must  appear  evident  to  eve^y  impar- 
tial reader,  that  Capt  Shortland  made  the  attack  with  malice 
prepense.  But  to  give  the  public  the  fairest  opportunity  to 
judge,  I  shall  give  a  summary  of  the  evidence  on  the  pan  of 
Capt.  Shortland,  which  came  all  from  the  mouih  of  witnes&es 
particeps  criminis,  and  acting  with  him.  Those  consisted  of 
clerks,  turnkeys,  and  soldiers,  who  hdd  been  the  very  instru- 
ments of  the  massacre.  They  deposed  and  said,  that  the 
prisoners  were  in  a  state  of  mutiny,  and  that  great  numbers 
had  threatened  to  escape  by  forcing  through  the  walls,\and 
that  the  hole  in  the  wall  was  big  enough  for  a  man  to  pass 
through ;  that  the  lock  on  the  gate  was  broken  by  some  pri- 
soner, and  that  stones  were  thrown  while  the  prisoners  were 
at  the  gate,  and  also  clubs  and  pieces  of  iron  thrown  at  the 
guards  by  the  prisoners  while  there  ;  that  great  numbers  had 
got  into  the  .square,  and  that  they  did  mean  to  make  their 
escape.  Nothing  material  could  be  further  drawn  from  these 
witnesses. 

In  the  evening  of  this  day,  the  bodies  of  our  murdered 
countrymen  were  buried  behind  the  prison  walls  in  the  same 
manner  as  before  the  peace,  w  ithout  form  or  ceremony,  and  no 
prisoner  permitted  to  attend  to  see  the  last  sad  office,  which  one 
friend  can  perform  for  another  in  giving  the  grave  its  due.  0! 
Britannia,  thy  boast  is  gone,  thy  pride  is  lost;  Lumanity  is  fled 
from  thy  degenerate  sons,  and  a  safer  asylum  in  the  bosom  of 
the  savage  tribes  is  found.     Deny  the  dead  their  sacred  due  I 

Thouingrate  race,  is  this  the  reward  due  to  men  who  have 
labored  many  years  thy  faithful  servant,  and  now,  after  having 
dragged  out  a  painful  imprisonment  for  two  years,  and  the 
moment  the  hope  of  returning  had  rekindled  the  sparks  of  life, 
must  be  massacred  in  a  most  barbarous  manner,  and  denied  the 
right  of  the  grave? 

I  must  here  relate  one  instance  which  occurred  a  few  years 
ago,  and  which  goes  very  far  to  show  the  inhumanity  of  those 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


107 


who  have  had  the  command  of  this  depot  heretofore.  In  a 
manuscript  which  was  left  here  by  the  French  prisonjrs, 
vrhich  I  was  this  evening  perusing,  I  find  the  following  re- 
markable circumstance  of  cruelty  relatei,  which  took  place 
during  their  confinement. 

Captain  Cotgrave  being  agent,  and  Dr.  Decker  head  sur- 
geon of  the  hospital,  m  December,  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  nine,  a  most  malignant  and  contagious  disease,  bearing  the 
most  frightful  and  mortal  symptoms,  broke  out  among  the 
French  prisoners,  which,  in  the  short  space  of  one  month,  car- 
ried off  more  than  eight  hundred. 

This  unfeeling  man,  Dr.  Decker,  caused  the  coffins  to  be 
brought  into  the  rooiis  of  the  hospital  to  receive  the  bodies: 
where  they  often  remained  several  days  in  readiness  to  receive 
the  unhappy  man  fast  approaching  the  end  of  all  his  sufierings. 

It  is  said  in  the  manuscript,  that  this  worse  than  barbarian, 
would  gaze  with  the  greatest  satisfaction  on  the  surrounding 
victims,  that  he  might  discover  from  the  very  inmost  recesses 
of  the  heart,  what  effect  the  appearance  of  these  coffins  had  on 
their  exhausted  spirits. 

However  unfeeling  this  might  be,  yet  their  lot  was  envied 
by  hundreds  of  their  countrymen,  who  were  left  to  perish  in 
the  prison  without  any  assistance,  without  a  friend,  and  in 
want  of  everything ;  and  would  not  be  received  into  the  Hospi- 
tal by  this  unfeeling  man. 

Their  extreme  sufferings  would  have  moved  the  heart  even 
of  a  cannibal,  and  it  is  a  solitary  instance  of  cruelty,  that  any 
one  belonging  to  a  civilized  nation  could  rejoice  at  such  a 
mournful  spectacle,  and  exult  over  their  fellow-beings  in  the 
agonies  of  death,  as  did  this  man  often,  in  saying  the  more  deaths 
the  fewer  enemies. 

Another  circumstance  is  related  in  the  same  manuscript,  in 
which  Capt.  Isaac  Cotgrave  was  the  principal  actor. 

On  the  eighth  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
nine,  the  turnkeys,  by  mistake,  had  left  one  of  the  prison  doors 
unlocked,  which  being  discovered  by  some  of  the  prisoners,  they 
determined,  if  possible,  to  effect  an  escape ;  they  got  into  the  yard 
but,  unfortunately,  were  discovered  the  very  moment  they  came 
out,  by  one  of  the  senteries,  who  gave  the  alarm,  and  instantly 
a  volley  of  sixty  muskets  was  discharged  at  them  ;  numbers 
were  wounded,  but  none  killed ;  they  then  hastily  retired  into 
the  prison. 


108 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS. 


Capt  Cotgrave,  ihe  agent,  then  entered  the  yard  at  the  head 
of  a  large  body  of  troops,  and  after  searching  the  yard  in  every 
direction,  and  discovering  nobody  he  was  retiring,  when  they 
discovered  a  man  creeping  along  the  wall ;  the  blood-thirsty 
monsters  instantly  fell  upon  the  unhappy  victim,  and  would 
neither  listen  to  his  cries  nor  prayers,  but  before  he  could  make 
himself  known  to  them,  several  musket-balls  had  pierced  his 
vital  parts*  and  laid  him  lifeless  on  the  ground  ;  but  they  were 
not  content  with  this ;  they  ran  up  to  him,  and  ran  over  and  over 
his  lifeless  corpse,  stabbing  it  with  their  bayonets  in  many 
places;  after  having  satiated  their  ferocity,  on  inspecting  the 
body,  they  found  it  to  be  one  of  their  own  men,  whom  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  had  prevented  them  from  distinguishing. 

In  memory  of  this  horrid  act,  the  French  prisoners  raised  a 
monument  on  the  very  spot  where  it  was  committed ;  but  the 
keepers  of  the  prison  had  it  destroyed  the  same  day,  for  it  was  a 
monument  of  their  cruelly. 


THE  REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  OF 

PRISONERS. 


\ 


We,  the  undersigned,  being  each  severally  sworn  on  the 
holy  evangelists  of  the  Almighty  God,  for  the  investigation  of 
the  circumstances  attending  the  late  horrid  massacre,  and 
having  heard  the  depositions  of  a  great  number  of  witnesses, 
from  our  own  personal  knowledge,  and  from  the  depositions 
given  in  as  aforesaid, 

Revort  as  Follows: 

That  on  the  6th  of  April,  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
when  the  prisoners  were  all  quiet  in  their  respective  yards, 
it  being  about  the  usual  time  of  turning  in  for  the  night,  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  prisoners  being  then  in  the  prisons,  the 
alarm  bell  was  rung,  and  many  of  the  prisoners  ran  up  to  the 
Market-square  to  learn  the  occasion  of  the  alarm.  There 
were  then  drawn  up  i^  the  Square  several  hundred  soldiers, 
with  Captain  Shortland  [the  Agent]  at  their  head  ;  it  was  like- 
wise observed,  at  the  same  time,  that  additional  numbers  of 
soldiers  were  posting  themselves  on  the  walls  round.the  prison 
yards.  One  of  ihem  observed  to  the  prisoners,  that  they  had 
better  go  into  the  prisons,  for  they  would  be  charged  upon  di- 
rectly.    This,  of  course,  occasioned  considerable  alarm  among 


OR  DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


109 


ihein.     In  this  moment  of  uncertainly,  they  were  running  in 
different  directions,  inquiring  the  cause  of  the  alarm — ^^some 
toward  their  respective  prisons;  and  some  toward  the  Market- 
square.     When  about    one    hundred    were   collected  in   the 
Square,  Ciptain  Shortland  ordered  the  soldiers  to  charge  upon 
them,  which  order  the  soldiers  were  reluctant  in  obeying,  as 
the  prisoners  were  using  no  violence ;  but  on  the  order  being 
repeated,  they  made  a  charge,  and  the  '  prisoners  retreated  out 
.of  the  Square  into  the  prison-yards,  and  shut  the  gates  after 
them.     Captain  Shortland  himself  opened  the  gates,  and  or- 
dered the  soldiers  to  fire  in  among  the  prisoners,  who  were  all 
retreating  in  different  directions  toward  their  respective  pris- 
ons.    It  appears  there  was  some  hesitation  in  the  minds  of 
the  officers,  whether  or  not  it  was   proper  to  fire  upon  the 
prisoners  in  that  situation  ;  on  which  Shortland  seized  a  mus- 
ket out  of  the  hands  of  a  soldier,  which  he  fired.    Immediately 
after,  the  fire  became  general,  and  many  of  the  prisoners  were 
either  killed  or  vvounded.     The  remainder  were  endeavoring 
to  get  into  the  prisons,  when  going  towards  the  lower  doors, 
the  soldiers  on  the  walls  commenced  firing  on  them  from  that 
quarter,  which  killed  some  and  wounded  others.     After  much 
difSculty,  [all  the  doors  being  closed  in  the  entrance,  but  one 
in  each  prison]  the  survivors  succeeded  in  gaining  the  prisons ; 
immediately  after  which,  parlies  of  soldiers  came  to  the  doors 
of  Nos.  3  and  4  prisons,  and   fired  several  vollies  into  them 
through  the  windows  and  doors,  which  killed  one  man  in  each 
prison,  and  severely  wounded  others. 

It  likewise  appears,  that  the  preceding  butchery  was  fol- 
lowed up  with  a  disposition  of  peculiar  inveteracy  and  bar- 
barity. 

One  m;in,  who  was  severely  wounded  in  No.  7  prison- 
yard,  and  being  unable  to  make  his  way  to  the  prison,  was 
come  up  with  by  the  soldiers,  whom  he  implored  for  mercy, 
but  in  vain  ;  five  of  the  hardened  wretches  immediately  lev- 
elled th'i'i .  pieces  at  him,  and  shot  him  dead  on  the  spot. — The 
soldiers  who  were  posted  on  the  walls,  manifested  equal  cru- 
elty, by  keeping  up  a  constant  fire  on  every  prisoner  they 
could  £30  in  the  yards  endeavoring  lo  get  into  tne  prison,  when 
their  numbers  were  very  few,  and  when  not  the  least  shadow 
of  resistance  could  be  made  or  expected.  Several  of  them 
had  got  into  No.  6  prison  cook-house,  which  was  pointed  out 
by  the  soldiers  on  the  walls,  to  those  who  were  marching  in 

10 


jiir 


,i|. 


'■ill' 


'lii' 


■ 


no 


THE  prisoner's  MEMOIRS, 


from  the  Square  ;  they  immediately  went  up  and  fired  into  the 
same,  which  wounded  several;  one  of  the  prisoners  ran  out 
with  the  intention  of  gaining  his  prison,  but  was  killed  before 
he  reached  the  door. 

On  an  impartial  consideration  of  the  circumstances  of 
the  case,  we  are  induced  to  believe  that  it  was  a  pre- 
meditated scheme  in  the  mind  of  Captain  Shortland, 
for  reasons  which  we  will  now  proceed  to  give — as  an  illu- 
cidation  of  its  origin,  we  vvill  recur  back  to  an  event  which 
happened  some  days  previous*  Captain  Shortland  was,  at  the 
lime,  absent  at  Plymouth,  but  befoiv.  going,  b^  ordered  the 
contractor  or  his  clerk  to  serve  out  one  pound  of  indiffereut 
bard  bread,  instead  of  one  pound  and  a  half  of  soft  bread, 
their  usual  allowance — this  the  prisoners  refused  to  receive — 
they  waited  all  day  In  expectation  of  their  usual  allowance 
being  served  out ;  but  at  senset,  finding  this  would  not  be  the 
case,  burst  open  the  lower  gates,  and  went  up  to  the  store, 
demanding  to  have  their  bread.  \ 

The  officers  of  the  garrison,  on  being  alarmed,  and  in- 
formed of  their  proceedings,  observed,  that  it  was  no  more 
than  right  the  prisoners  should  have  their  usual  allowance, 
and  strongly  reprobated  the  conduct  of  Captain  Shortland  in 
withholding  it  from  them.  They  were  accordingly  served 
with  their  bread,  and  quietly  returned  to  their  prison.  This 
circumstance,  with  the  censures  that  were  thrown  on  his  con- 
duct, reached  the  ears  of  Shortland  on  his  return  home,  and 
he  must  then  have  determined  on  the  diabolical  plan  of  seizing 
the  first  slight  pretext  to  turn  in  the  militar}',  to  butcher  the 
prisoners  for  the  gratification  of  his  malice  and  revenge.  It 
unfortunately  happened,  that  in  the  afternoon  of  the  6th  of 
April,  some  boys,  who  were  playing  ball  in  No.  7  yard, 
knocked  their  ball  over  into  the  barrack-yard,  and  on  the  sen- 
try in  that  yard  refusing  to  throw  it  back  to  them,  they  picked 
a  hole  in  the  wall  to  get  in  after  it. 

This  afforded  Shortland  his  wished-for  pretext,  and  he  took 
his  measures  accordingly  ;  he  had  all  the  garrison  drawn  up 
in  the  military  walk,  additional  numbers  posted  on  th»;  walla, 
and  every  thing  ready  prepared  before  the  alarm  bell  was 
rung;  this,  he  naturally  concluded,  would  draw  the 'titt*^ntion 
of  a  great  number  of  prisoners  towards  the  gates,  to  learn  the 
cause  of  the  alarm,  while  the  turnkeys  were  despatched  into 
the  yards  to  lock  all  the  doors  but  one  of  each  prison,  to  pre- 


OR  DARTMOOR  PRIION> 


111 


red  into  the 
lers  ran  out 
illed  before 

istances  of 
vas   a  pre- 

Shortland, 
-as  an  illu- 
I'ent  which 

was,  lit  the 
irdered  the 
'  indifferent 
soft  bread, 
3  receive — 

aliowahce 
J  not  be  the 
1  the  store, 

,      \ 

iu,  and  in- 
ks no  more 
allowance, 
horiland  in 
gly  served 
on.     This 
)n  bis  con- 
lome,  and 
of  seizing 
)utcher  the 
enge.     It 
the  6tb  of 
7  yard, 
m  the  sen- 
ey  picked 

d  he  took 
drawn  up 
th«;  walls, 
bell  was 
•att*^ntion 
learn  the 
;hed  into 
,  to  pre- 


vent the  prisoners  retreating  out  of  the  way  ui^fore  he  had  suf- 
ficiently wreaked  his  vengeance. 

What  adds  peculiar  weight  to  the  belief  of  its  being  a  pre- 
mediiated,  determined  massacre,  are, 

First. — The  sanguipTy  disposition  manifested  on  every  oc- 
casion by  Shortland,  he  having,  prior  to  this  time,  ordered 
the  soldiers  to  fire  into  the  prisons,  through  the  prison  win- 
dows, upon  unarmed  prisoners  asleep  in  their  hammocks,  on 
account  of  a  light  being  seen  in  the  prisons;  which  barbarous 
act  was  repeated  several  nights  successively.  That  murder 
was  not  then  committed,  was  o-.ving  to  an  over-ruling  Provi- 
dence alone ;  for  the  balls  were  pickeJ  up  in  the  prison, 
where  they  passed  through  the  hammocks  of  men  then  asleep 
in  them.  He  having  also  ordered  the  soldiers  to  fire  upon 
the  prisoners  in  the  yard  of  No.  7  prison,  because  they 
would  not  deliver  up  to  him  a  man  who  had  escaped  from  the 
cachot,  which  order  the  commanding  officer  of  the  soldiers  re- 
fused to  obey;  and  generally,  he  having  seized  on  every 
slight  pretext  to  injure  the  prisoners,  by  slopping  their  mar- 
keting for  ten  days  rept^atedly,  and  once  a  third  part  of  their 
provisions  for  the  same  lenfifth  of  time. 

Secondly. — He  having  been  heard  to  say,  when  the  boys 
had  picked  the  hole  in  the  wall,  and  some  time  before  the 
alarm  bell  rung,  while  all  the  prisoners  were" quiet  as  usual 
in  their  respective  yards,  '■'PUJixthe  damri^d  rascals  directly" 

Thirdly. — His  having  all  the  soldiers  on  their  posts,  and  the 
garrison  fully  prepared  before  the  alarm  bell  runsf.  It  could 
not  then,  of  course,  be  rung  to  assemble  the  soldiers,  but  to 
alarm  the  prisoners,  and  crea'e  confusion  among  them. 

Fourthly. — The  soldiers  upon  the  wall,  previous  to  the  alarm 
bell  being  rung,  informing  the  prisoners  that  they  Avould  be 
charged  upon  directly. 

Fifthly. — The  turnkeys  going  into  the  yards  and  closing  all 
the  doors  but  one  in  each  prison,  while  the  attention  of  the 
prisoners  was  attracted  by  the  alarm  bell.  This  was  done 
about  fifteen  minutes  sooner  than  usual,  and  without  informing 
the  prisoners  it  was  time  to  shut  up.  It  was  ever  the  inva- 
riable practice  of  the  turnkeys,  from  which  they  never  de- 
viated before  that  night,  when  coming  into  the  yard  to  shut 
up,  to  hollow  to  the  prisoners  so  loud  as  to  be  heard  through- 
out the  yards,  "  turn  in,  turn  in  ."'  but.  on  that  night,  it  was 
don^  so  secretly,  that  not  one  man  in  a  hundred  knew  they 


m 


th6  prisoners'  memoirs, 


were  shut;  and  in  particular  their  shutting  the  dooi^  of  No, 
7  prison,  which  the  prisoners  usuaHy  went  in  and  out  at, 
[and  which* was  formerly  always  closed  last]  and  leaving  One 
open  in  the  other  end  of  the  prison,  which  was  exposed  to  a 
cross-fire  from  the  soldiers  on  the  walls,  and  which  the  pris- 
oners had  Co  pass  in  gaining  the  prisons.  - 

We   here  solemnly  aver,  thiit  there  was  no  preconcerted 

filan  to  attempt  breaking  nut.  There  cannot  be  produced  the 
east  shadow  of  a  reason  or  inducement  lor  that  intention,  the 
prisoners  daily  expecting  to  be  released,  and  to  embark  on 
board  cartels  for  iheir  native  country.  And  we  likewise 
solemnly  assert,  that  there  was  no  intention  of  resisting,  in 
any  manner,  the  authority  of  this  depot. 

N.  B.    Seven   were  killed,  thirty    dangerously   wounded, 
and  thirty  slightly  so.     Total,  sixty-seven  killed  and  wounded. 


\ 


Committee. 


(Signed) 

WM    B    ORNE, 
WM.  HOBART, 
JAMES  BOGGS, 
JAMES  ADAMS. 
FRANCIS  JOSEPH, 
JOHN  F.  TROBRIDGE, 
JOHN  RUST, 
HENRY  ALLEN, 
WALTER  COLTON, 
THOMAS  B.  MOTT.        / 

Dartmoor  Prison,  April  7th,  1815. 


The  same  day  Mr.  Ingraham  come  to  the  prison  and  inform- 
ed the  prisoners  that  he  had  come  for  the  purpose  of  shipping  a 
number  of  men,  to  man  ships  now  lying  in  different  ports  in 
Europe;  he  also  informed  us  that  he  had  been  appointed  agent, 
under  the  consular  agent  of  the  United  States :  and  that  every 
preparation  was  making  for  the  immediate  release  of  every 
prisoner,  and  we  might  be  assured  of  the  immediate  arrival  of 
the  ships  from  London  to  convey  us  to  the  United  Statei|. 

On  the  tenth,  a  number  were  discharged  to  man  different  ships 
in  Europe ;  this  day  arrangements  were  made  by  the  prisoners, 
for  the  assistance  and  relief  of  our  wounded  countrymen  in  the 


OR   DAHTMOOR   PRISON. 


113 


Hospilal,  and  also  an  arrangement  for  the  prisoners  to  wear 
crape  on  their  arm  for  thirty  days  after  iheir  arrival  in  America, 
as  a  tribute  of  respect  due  to  their  departed  friends  and  feflow* 
prisoners.  The  wounded  in  the  hospital  were  paid  every  at* 
tention,  for  their  comfort  and  speedy  recovery,  by  Doctor  Ma- 
grath. 

We  received  no  letters  from  Mr.  Beasley,  although  hundreds 
of  letters  had  been  sent  to  him  since  the  melancholy  event  of  the 
6th.  Reports  were  circulating  that  a  new  agent  was  to  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  United  States  to  supersede  Mr  Beasley,  which 
every  man  most  anxiously  wished  might  be  true,  but  had  not  the 
satisfaction  to  learn  it  was  the  case ;  every  day's  delay  made 
ino.'e  confusion  and  anxiety  among  tne  prisoners.  The  weath- 
er during  this  month  up  to  the  present  day,  had  been  remark- 
ably fine,  pure  and  healthy,  and  more  so  than  it  had  been  at  this 
place  since  our  confinement;  as  if  the  All-Seeing  Eye  of  Hea- 
ven looked  down  with  pity  and  compassion  upon  our  injured 
and  wounded  countrymen,  and  dispensed  His  blessings  for  their 
speedy  recovery  in  the  salubrity  of  His  air.  That  passage  in 
Holy  Writ,  in  this  instance,  seemed  to  be  remarkably  verified : 
*'  that  when  the  prisoner  was  sick  in  prison,  He  visited  him." 

Capt.  Shortland,  after  being  acquitted,  resumed  the  command 
oftho  depot,  but  he  was  seldom  seen  by  the  prisoners,  being  very 
apprehensive  that  the  prisoners  would  shoot  him  the  first  oppor- 
tunity ;  therefore  he  kept  a  body  guard  around  him,  and  this 
day  a  draft  of  thirty  prisoners  being  discharged,  and  having  to 
pass  by  his  house,  he  had  his  guard  st&tioned  at  his  door. 

On  the  morning  of  the  twelfth,  we  were  informed  by  Capt. 
Shortland  that  the  drafts  for  the  discharge  of  the  prisoners  were 
already  made  out,  and  that  the  draft  for  the  first  cartel  would 
consist  of  280,  to  be  discharged  as  they  entered  this  depot.  I 
therefore  obtained  the  exact  number  of  prisoners  then  in  each 
prison,  which  1  shall  give  as  follows : 
Prison  No  1,  contained, 
3, 


4, 
7. 


1200 
952 
978 
938 

1248 


In  different  employments  about  the  stores 

and  hospital. 
Patients  in  the  hospital. 

Total  number  of  unparoled  prisoners  in  England,  5542 

10* 


29 
107 


itli 


m 


114 


THE  prisoner's  MEMOIRS, 


In  visiting  the  hospitals,  I  found  the  wounded  prisoners  fast 
recovering,  all  in  high  spirit?,  the  prison  generally  more  healthy 
than  it  had  been  since  our  arrival  in  it  Capt.  Shortland  re< 
moved  his  family  from  this  place,  for  his  guilt  had  brought  up- 
on him  the  apprehension  of  the  first  draught's  retaliating  upon 
him  by  attacking  his  family  ;  but  no  such  idea  had  entered  the 
imagination  of  any  prisoner  ;  it  was  the  creature  of  his  own 
guilt.  .  . 

We  were  ordered  at  this  time  to  be  in  readiness  to  deliver  up 
every  article  which  we  had  received  from  the  British  Govern- 
ment ;  such  as  beds,  hammocks,  blankets,  icc^  dec  These  ar- 
ticles had  been  in  our  possession,  and  in  constant  use  ever  since 
the  second  of  April,  1813,  and  hid  never  been  changed;  we  felt 
but  little  reluctance  in  delivering  them  up,  when  animated  with 
the  idea  of  once  more  visiting  our  native  country,  and  leaving  a 
dreary  prison,  which  many  of  us  had  inhabited  for  upwards  of 
two  years.  i 

On  the  following  day  we  received  a  London  paper  which 
contained  the  foUowingaccount  of  the  late  horid  massacre  at  this 
depot ;  it  read  as  follows  : 

*'  An  afiair  of  a  serious  nature  has  recently  taken  place  at 
Dartmoor  prison  :  the  prisoners  attaching  the  greater  part  of  the 
fault  of  their  long  detention  since  the  peace,  to  Mr.  Beasley 
their  country's  agent,  resident  at  London,  had,  btjfore  the  affray, 
l)urnt  his  person  in  effigy  in  the  yard  of  their  prison  ;  on  ac- 
count of  which,  Captain  Shortland,  unarmed  and  unattended, 
entered  the  yard  of  their  prison  with  a  view  to  appease  the  ang- 
er of  these  unfortunate  men  ;  but  his  reception  \Yas  attended 
with  the  prisoners  di$;charging  a  pistol  at  him,  the  contents  of 
which  grazed  his  clerk  ;  upon  this  the  prisoners  attempted  to 
gain  their  liberty  by  rushing  out  of  the  gates,  but  were  soon 
coiled  by  the  guards  firing  upon  them,  and  killing  twelve,  and 
wounding  thirty." 

The  account  was  equally  base  and  false,  as  the  act  was  cruel 
and  murderous ;  but  the  mention  of  twelve  killed  confirmed  the 
prisoners  in  their  belief  that  this  number  had  been  killed,  and 
the  five  which  were  not  to  be  found,  were  secretly  buried  by 
Captain  Shortland  that  night,  and  that  he,  in  the  guilty  and  con- 
fused state  of  his  mind,  had  given  an  account  of  twelve  instead 
of  seven,  which  wfere  the  only  ones  found  of  the  killed.  I  leave 
it  to  the  reader  to  judge  whether  nature  or  habit  had  done  most 
towards  hardening  the  feelings  of  this  man      It  is  well  kdown 


» \ 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


115 


that  mHi  accustomed  to  the  suiTerings  and  misery  of  their  fel- 
low-beings, soon  grow  hardened  and  forget  them.  But  could 
this  man  from  the  short  time  here,  have  grown  so  callous  in  his 
feelings  as  to  commit  such  acts  from  habit,  or  must  cruelty  and 
malice  have  been  woveu  in  his  constitution? 

On  this  day,  the  prisoners  in  making  preparation  for  their 
departure,  prepared  a  large  white  flag,  and  as  a  memento  had 
in  the  middle  of  it,  (he  representntion  of  a  tomb,  with  the  God- 
dess of  liberty  leaning  on  it,  and  a  murdered  sailor  lying  by 
it«  side,  and  un  inscription  over  it  in  large  capital  letters, 
*^Columbia  weeps,  and  we  remember."  This  flag  was  intended 
to  be  carried  home  to  the  United  States,  as  it  showed  a  just 
resentment  for  the  execrable  deeds  which  it  recorded,  and  a 
just  respect  for  the  sufferers.  This  same  day,  numbers  of 
prisoners  were  released  by  application  of  their  friends  in  Eng- 
land, for  the  purpose  of  manning  ships  in  different  ports.  We 
had  no  news  from  Mr.  Beasley,  and  most  of  the  prisoners 
barefooted,  the  oldest  in  a  state  of  nudity,  not  having  received 
any  jackets  or  trojwsers  for  more  than  eleven  months. 

At  length,  when  we  were  almost  dead  with-  impatience  and 
delay,  on  the  fourteenth   we  received  a  1<  tter  from  Mr.  Beas- 
ley  to  the  following  effect: 
•*  Fellow  Citizens, 

'*I  have  been  informed  that  numbers  of  the  prisoners  have 
entertained  an  idea  that  they  are  to  remain  in  prison,  until 
the  arrival  of  some  United  States'  ships  in  this  country  ;  but 
I  can  assure  them  that  there  is  no  foundation  for  the  belief; 
and  I  can  assure  them  of  eight  cartels  being  already  taken  up 
for  their  conveyance  to  the  United  States.  And  with  regret  I 
hear  from  officers  who  were  sent  to  inquire  into  the  shameful 
conduct  of  the  sixth  of  April,  that  the  extravagant  excess  of  the 
prisoners  was  partly  occasioned  by  their  censuring  the  United 
States  and  myself." 

Mr.  Beasley  had,  no  doubt,  been  informed  of  what  he  wrote, 
but  it  was  not  the  fact,  for  his  information,  no  doubt,  came 
from  the  two  officers  who  were  here,  the  Admiral  and  his  as- 
sociate ;  but  no  such  conversation  took  place  in  their  hearing, 
which  numbers  of  the  most  respectable  prisoners  can  testify, 
and  no  such  idea  had  been  entertained  by  any  prisoner  in  the 
prison.  These  officers  intended  that  Mr.  Boasley  should  bear 
all  the  blame.  Qod  knows  his  conduct  was  blameable  enough 
throughout;  but  to  do  him  justice  he  had  no  blame  in  the 


tl^ 


THE    PRISONERS*    MEMOIRS, 


marderous  act  of  the  fatal  sixth  of  April.     His  effigy  had  been 
burnt  on  the  24th  of  March,  and  all  animosity  had  been  dissi' 

})ated  with  the  ashes  of  his  effigy,  and  his  name  seemed  to  be 
brgotien,  for  it  was  scarcely  ever  mentioned.     Mr.  Beasley 

had  had  every  particular  of  the  event  before  his  intervitnv  with 
the  officers,  but  made  no  exertions  as  yet  to  inquire  into  the 

affray. 

The  weather  up  to  this  day  since  the  month  began,  had 

been  remarkably  fine  for  this  place,  but  this  morning  the 

mo:>r,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  was  covered  with  snow, 
and  continued  to  snow  all  day,  and  the  weather  very  cold. 

On  the  sixteenth  we  received  letters  from  London,  from 
many  of  our  fellow-citizens,  who  had  received  pai»sports  and 
left  the  prison  since  the  fatal  sixth  of  April ;  on  their  arrival 
in  London,  they  were  taken  before  the  lord  mayor  of  that 
city,  and  their  depositions  taken  relative  to  the  massacre  of 
the  sixth,  which  was  to  the  same  purport  as  before  the  com* 
mittee.     On  the  same  day,  Col.  Hawker,  formerly  consumr 
agent,  under  the  American   consul  at    London,    visited  the 
prison  for  the  purpose  of  shipping  seamen  to  man  ships  at 
Plymouth,  bound  to  New-Orleans.    In  this  way  the  prisoners 
were  daily  diminishing  in  number,  as  any  one  might  obtain  a 
passport  who  could  procure  a  friend  to  make  application  for 
their  release,  and  informing  Mr.  Beasley  that  they  required 
no  assistance  from  him  to  convey  them  to  the  United  States. 
In  obtaining  a  passport  in  this   way  from  Capt.  Shortland, 
they  needed  no  other  protection  in  this  country. 

This  day  a  man  was  committed  to  the  cachot  for  drawing 
money  from  Col.  Hawker  in  an  assumed  name.  The  colonel 
was  determined  to  have  hino.  brought  to  condign  punishment: 
this  man  the  next  day  was  taken  out  of  the  cachot  and  con- 
veyed to  £xeter,  to  be  tried  at  the  next  August  assizes. 

On  visiting  the  hospital,  I  found  the  wounded  and  the  sick 
fast  recovering,  and  had  every  attention  paid  them  by  Dr. 
Magrath,  for  their  health  and  comfort,  that  his  resources 
would  allow. 

On  the  seventeenth,  a  black  man  belonging  to  No.  4  was 
found  dead  in  his  hammock.  On  this  day  we  received 
another  letter  from  Mr.  Beasley,  which  informed  Us  that 
those  officers  who  had  visited  the  prison  by  order  of  the 
British  government,  had  represented  the  conauct  of  the  pri- 
soners on  the  sixth  of  April,  in  a  very  unfavorable  light,  but 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


117 


having  received  a  correct  statement  from  the  prison,  t.:^d  a 
general  summary  of  the  evidence  on  both  sides  as  delivered 
in  to  the  jury  of  inquest;  he  now  apologized  for  his  last 
letter. 

On  the  nineteenth,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  an 
express  arrived  informing  Capt.  Shortiand  that  one  cartel  had 
arrived  at  Plymouth,  and  ordered  him  immediately  to  remove 
two  hundred  and  forty-nine  prisoners  from  this  depot  to  that 
place,  for  embarking  on  board  the  ship.  At  five  in  the  after- 
noon, the  whole  drufi  was  collected  in  the  square,  with  all 
their  baggage.  This  was  the  first  draft  of  prisoners  that  had 
entered  the  prison  after  the  declaration  of  war,  and  had  been 
immured  within  these  gloomy  walls  more  than  two  long  and 
tedious  years.  They  were  then  informed  that  one  baggage 
wagon  would  be  allowed  to  every  hundred  men,  for  the  cci- 
venience  of  their  baggage  to  Plymouth. 

The  prisoners  being  the  greater  part  barefooted,  made 
inquiry  whether  any  arrangement  had  been  made  by  Mr. 
Beasley  for  providing  them  with  shoes  and  clothes,  as  they 
were  much  in  want  of  them ;  but  were  much  surprised  and 
disappointed  when  they  found  no  provision  had  been  made. 
The  money  due  from  government  had  ru.'  over  the  usual 
time  of  payment,  now  twenty-five  days,  although, application 
had  previously  been  made  for  the  payment  of  the  daily  allow- 
ance, and  also,  the  other  articles,  both  by  the  prisoners  and 
Capt.  Shortiand  himself;  but  Mr.  Beasley  still  neglected  to 
make  any  arrangement  for  either. 

At  six  every  prisoner's  name  was  called,  and  they  com- 
mitted together  with  their  baggage  to  a  separate  prison,  ready 
for  their  departure  the  next  morning.  The  joy  they  felt  on 
this  occasion  is  better  imagined  than  described;  I  therefore 
leave  to  the  imagination  of  the  reader,  what  emotions  the 
heart  must  feel,  when  a  change  which  promised  every  endear- 
ment of  life  to  them,  and  freed  them  from  every  evil  of  it, 
was  about  to  take  place. 

I  visited  the  hospital  this  evening  for  the  last  time,  and  had 
the  pleasing  satisfiiction  of  finding  the  sick  and  wounded  in  a 
state  of  fast  recovery,  except  a  few  who  were  dangerous. 

The  next  morning  we  took  our  departure  for  Plymouth, 
and  with  joy  in  our  hearts  bid  farewell  'o  that  pale  of  misery, 
and  at  four  in  the  afternoon  arrived  at  Plymouth,  having 
travelled  all  the  way  under  the  direction  of  a  strong  guard. 


118 


THE   prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


We  were  immediately  embarked  on  board  ihe  cartel  Maria 
Christiana,  a  Swedish  ship,  commanded  by  Capt.  Dirkcs;  we 
found  some  few  of  our  countrymen  who  had  been  on  parole, 
on  board  the  ship. 

It  was  now  just  forty  days  since  the  arrival  of  the  ratified 
treaty  in  England. 

The  next  day  eight  of  the  prisoners  left  the  cartel  to  join  a 
brig  under  French  colors  bound  for  France. 

On  the  twenty-second  the  wind  being  contrary,  the  prison- 
ers were  permitted  to  go  on  shore  and  spend  the  day.  A 
court  of  inqui.y  had  been  instituted  by  commissioners  ap- 
pointed by  both  governments,  for  the  investigation  of  the 
unfortunate  occurrences  of  the  sixth  ot  April,  and  was  then 
sitting  for  that  purpose.  Several  of  the  prisoners  were  called 
upon  to  give  evidence  in  the  cause,  and  their  depositions 
taken  by  the  court  that  day. 

The  court  was  attended  by  Mr.  Williams,  deputy  consular 
agent  to  Mr.  Beasley.  \ 

Before  we  set  sail  Mr.  Williams  informed  us  that  he  was 
instructed  by  Mr.  Beasley  to  take  down  all  the  particulars  of 
the  investigation,  for  the-  purpose  of  laying  them  before  the 
American  government  ;  but  the  commissioners  had  not  re- 
ported  when  we  left  Plymouth,  but  it  was  'expected  they 
would  in  a  few  days,  which  shall  constitute  a  part  of  this 
work  as  soon  as  it  is  received. 

Mr.  Williams  informed  us  that  the  money  allowed  by 
government,  which  had  been  due  thirty  dayi,  would  not  be 
paid  by  Mr.  Beasley,  nor  would  any  provision  be  made  by 
him  for  shoes  or  clothing,  but  that  the  prisoners  must  go 
heme  as  they  were. 

On  the  twenty-third,  the  wind  being  favorable,  we  hove 
short,  and  made  preparations  for  sailing. 

On  mustering  the  prisoners,  we  found  th^ir  number 
amounted  to  two  hundred  and  sixty-three;  this  increase  of 
number  v/as  by  officers  paroled  at  Ashburton. 

At  three  in  the  afternoon  we  left  the  port  of  Plymouth, 
with  a  fresh  and  favorable  wind. 

Wo  had  left  behind  at  Dartmoor  five  thousand  one  hundred 
and  ninety-three  of  our  fellow  prisoners,  whom  the  agent  in- 
formed us  would  be  conveyed  to  this  place  in  the  same 
manner  as  ourselves  in  a  few  days,  as  the  other  cartels  were 
on  their  way    round  to   Plymouth,  and  thence  to   erabark 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


119 


artel  Maria 
Dirkps;  we 
I  on  parole, 

the  ratified 

el  to  join  a 

the  prison- 
16  day.  A 
sinners  ap- 
tion  of  the 
d  was  th«n 
were  called 
depositions 

ity  consular 

\ 

thpt  he  was 
rticulars  of 
before  the 
lad  not  re- 
)ected  they 
jart  of  this 

lowed  by 
luld  not  be 
made  by 
must  go 

we  hove 


IT 


number 
nc reuse  of 


Plymouth, 

le  hundred 

agent  iir 

the   same 

rtels  were 

embark 


immediately  for  the  United  Stales.  Aft*:?!  leaving  Plymouth 
we  found  the  provisions  under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Turner, 
appointed  by  the  agents  to  deal  out  the  rations  to  the  prisoners. 

We  were  allowed,  five  days  in  the  week,  one  pound  of  salt 
beef,  one  pound  of  bread,  half  a  pound  of  potatoes  a  day ; 
the  other  two  days  one  pound  of  pork,  the  same  quantity  of 
bread,  and  half  a  pint  of  peas  per  man,  and  half  a  pint  of 
vinegar  a  week. 

Mr.  Beasley  had  made  arrangements  for  eac  h  prisonerto 
have  a  small  bed  and  blanket ;  the  '  iitel  was  equipped 
according  to  custom,  with  great  guns  and  small  arms. 

A  Physician  had  been  appointed  with  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  medicine  to  serve  during  the  passage. 

One  pirt  of  the  ship  was  allotted  to  the  sick,  where  every 
attention  was  paid  them  by  their  countrymen  for  their  com- 
fort and  convenience. 

During  the  residue  of  the  month  nothing  material  occurred; 
cartel  quite  heahhy,  only  five  cases  of  sick,  and  them  not 
very  dangerous  ;  the  month  ended  with  ivinds,  light  and 
unfavorable. 

On  the  first  of  May  we  were  in  lat.  45°  North,  and  longi- 
tude 23°  41'  West.  On  the  second,  Toeing  in  long.  24°,  we 
spoke  a  brig  from  London  bound  to  duebec. 

From  the  first  to  the  fourteenth  the  winds  were  from  N.VV. 
to  S.  W,  and  the  cartel  kept  between  the  latitudes  of  42°  and 
44°  North. 

Some  few  sick  but  not  dangerously  On  this  day  we  dis- 
covered a  sail  on  our  weather  beam,  standing  to  the  east- 
ward ;  at  2  P.  M.  she  bore  up  and  stood  for  the  cartel,  with  a 
British  flag  flying  ;  at  four  we  spoke  her  in  lat,  42,  and  long. 
38.  She  proved  to  be  a  British  transport  with  a  number  of 
Ivoops  from  Mobile,  bound  to  Enp-Jan'd,  and  fourteen  days 
from  Bermuda.  She  sent  her  boat  Silong-side  of  the  cartel 
with  a  naval  and  military  officer,  and  the  captain  of  the  trans- 
port; they  came  on  board  the  cartel  and  remained  for  an 
hour,  and  tMen  returned  to  the  transport,  and  each  Ship  made 
sail  for  their  destined  places 

Th^  winds  siill  continued  the  same  way  the  tweuty-eichth. 
This  day,  Sunday,  we  fell  in  with  several  large  islands  of  Ice, 
Int.  43°  ;  on  the  same  day,  lat.  42o  long  60°,  we  spoke  the 
brig  Sally  Barker,  six  days  from  Boston,  bound  for  Portugal ; 
the  three  days  following  the  winds  continuing  light,  from  the 


120 


THE   prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


l^ 

hi 

4  I 

South  and  West,  we  spoke  a  brig  from  Portland  four  days 
out,  bound  to  Surinam. 

Cartel  perfectly  healthy,  •  with  the  exception  of  one  man 
rery  low  in  a  consumption. 

On  the  first  of  June,  lat.  40,  50,  long.  64,  spoke  the  ship 
HeUitius,  of  Philadelphia,  bound  home,  after  remaining  during 
the  whole  war  up  the  uast  country.  On  the  2nd  of  June,  lat. 
40,  35,  long  69,  the  majority  of  the  prisoners  agreed  to  take 
possession  of  the  cartel,  and  run  her  into  New-York,  for  the 
fol'.owing  reasons:  the  ship  being  disabled  by  the  loss  of  her 
main  trussel-trees,  which  endangered  the  top-mast,  and  ren- 
dered her  unfit  for  sea;  secondly,  there  being  every  appear- 
ance of  a  gale  from  the  S.  W.  and  the  weather  thick  and 
hazy  ;  thirdly,  the  port  of  New-York  being  the  most  con- 
venient for  the  greater  part  of  the  prisoners ;  for  which 
reasons,  at  twelve  meridian,  by  the  general  voice  jf  all  on 
board,  the  command  was  taken  from  her  former  captain,  and 
she  directed  for  the  port  of  NeW- York.  At  4,  P.  M.  the  nian 
in  a  consumption  "put  off  this  mortal  coil,^'  and' took  nis 
quietus  in  thirty-five  fathoms  of  water,  in  the  usual  foun 
at  sea. 

The  captain  of  the  ship  required  some  document,  that  he 
might  show  for  his  indemnification  for  resigning  the  com- 
mand of  the  ship,  and  deviating  from  his  destined  port,  which 
was  Norfolk,  Vir. ;  the  following  certificate,  signed  by  a 
great  number  of  the  prisoners,  'vas  delivered  him. 

CERTIFICATE. 

»'  We,  the  undersigned,  citizens  of  the  United  States  of 
Amp'ica,  do  hereby  certify,  that  on  the  second  day  of  June, 
1815,  at  twelve  meridian,  being  in  lat.  40,  30,  long.  69,  30, 
by  mutual  agreement  of  a  majority  of  prisoners  now  on 
board  the  cartel  Maria  Christiana,  bound  for  Norfolk,  did 
take  possession  of  her,  and  directed  her  for  the  port  of  New- 
York." 

At  four  o'clock  on  the  third,  we  discovered  the  highland 
of  New-Jersey  bearing  W.  by  S. ;  at  eight  made  the  light 
hou^e,  distance  three  or  four  leagues ;  at  two  P.  M.  obtained 
a  pilot  and  stood  within  the  Hook;  at  seven  cam^  to  an 
anchor  ;  the  next  morning  arrived  at  New-York. 

Having  received  the  report  of  the  commissioners  since  our 
arrival  in  the  United  States,  we  shall  give  it  to  the  reader 


OR    DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


121 


1  four  days 

of  one  man 

ke  the  ship 
ning  during 
if  June,  lat. 
reed  to  take 
ork,  for  the 

loss  of  her 
St,  and  ren- 
ery  appear- 
r  thick  and 
J  most  con- 

for  which 
e  j{  all  on 
:aptain,  and 
Ml.  the  nian 
id' took  nis 
usual  form 

!nt,  that  he 
the  com- 
)ort,  which 
Bfned  by  a 


States  of 
y  of  June, 
g.  69,  30, 
s  now  on 
rfolk,  did 
t  of  New- 
highland 
the  light 
obtained 
me  to  an 

since  our 
le  refider 


: 


verbatim.  The  reader  will  perceive  that  it  differs  somewhat 
from  the  account  of  the  massacre  which  I  have  given  before, 
and  that  of  the  committee  of  prisoners.  The  public  are  to 
judge  of  the  report ;  the  facts  seemed  not  to  warrant  just  such 
an  one ;  but  to  give  my  simple  opinion  as  an  individual,  I 
believe  that  the  commissioners,  through  a  sort  of  pia  fraus 
for  the  love  of  peac€  and  harmony  between  the  two  govern- 
ments, have  made  it  a  vail  of  amnesty,  and  a  preventptive  of 
new  troubles. 


THE 


^P 


ORT  OF  THE  COMMISSIONERS. 

Plymouth,  26th  April,  1815. 


We,  the  undersigned  commissioners,  appointed  on  behr.if  of 
our  respective  governments,  to  inquire  into,  and  report  upon, 
the  unfortunate  occurrence  of  the  6th  of  April  instant,  at  Dart- 
moor prison,  having  carefully  perused  the  proceedings  of  the 
several  courts  of  inquiry  instituted  immediately  after  that 
event,  by  the  orders  of  Admiral  Sir  John  T.  Duckworth  and 
Major  General  Brown  respectively,  as  well  as  the  depositions 
taken  at  the  coroner's  inquest  upon  the  bodies  of  the  prisoners 
who  lost  their  lives  upon  that  melancholy  occasion;  upon 
which  inquest  the  jury  found  a  verdict  of  justifiable  homicide  ; 
proceed  immediately  to  the  examination  upon  oath,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  one  or  more  of  the  magistrates  of  the  vicinity,  of  all 
the  witnesses,  both  Americun  and  English,  who  offered  them- 
selves for  that  purpose,  or  who  could  be  discovere'^  as  likely 
to  afford  any  material  information  upon  the  subject,  as  well 
as  those  who  had  been  previously  examined  before  the  coro- 
ner, or  otherwise,  to  the  number  in  the  whole  of  about  eighty. 
We  further  proceed  to  a  minute  examination  of  the  prisons,  for 
the  pitrpose  of  clearing  up  some  points,  which  upon  the  evi- 
dence alone,  were  scarcely  intelligible  ;  obtaining  from  ihe 
prisoners,  and  from  the  ofticers  of  the  depot,  all  the  necessary 
assistance  and  explanation  ;  and  premising,  that  we  have  been 
from  necessity  compelled  to  draw  many  of  our  conclusions 
from  statements  and  evidence  highly  contradictory,  we  do 
now  make  upon  the  whole  proceedings  the  following  report : 

During  the  neriod  which  has  elapsed  since  the  arrival  in 
this  country  of^  the  account  of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of 
Ghent,  an  increased  degree  of  restlessness  and  impatience  of 

11 


\  V 


122 


THB   PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


confinement  appears  to  have  prevailed  amongst  the  American 
prisoners  at  Dartmoor,  which,  though  not  exhibited  in  the 
shape  of  any  violent  excess,  has  been  principally  indicated  by 
threats  of  breaking  out  if  not  soon  released. 

On  the  fourth  of  this  month  in  particular,  only  two  days 
previous  to  the  events,  the  subject  of  this  inquiry,  a  large  body 
of  the  prisoners  rushed  into  the  market-square,  from  whence, 
by  the  regulations  of  the  prison,  they  are  excluded,  demand- 
ing bread,  instead  of  bircuit,  which  had  on  that  day  been  is- 
sued by  the  officers  of  the  depot ;  their  demands,  however, 
having  been  then  almost  imnediately  complied  with,  they  re- 
turned to  their  own  yards,  and  the  employment  of  force  on 
that  occasion  became  unnecessary. 

On  the  evening  of  the  sixth,  about  six  o'clock,  it  was  clearly 
proved  to  us,  that  a  breach  had  been  made  in  one  of  the 
prison  walls,  sufficient  for  a  full-sized  man  to  pass,  and  that 
others  had  >een  commenced  in  the  course  of  the  day  near  the 
same  spot,^hough  never  completed.  i 

That  a  *number  of  the  prisoners  were  over  the  railing 
erected  to  prevent  them  from  communicating  with  the  senti- 
nels on  the  walls,  which  was  of  course  forbidden  by  the  reg- 
ulations of  the  prison,  and  that  in  the  space  between  the  rail- 
ing and  those  walls,  they  were  tearing  up  pieces  of  turf,  and 
wantonly  pelting  each  other  in  a  noisy  and  disorderly 
manner. 

That  a  much  more  considerable  number  of  the  prisoners 
was  collected  together  at  that  time  in  one  of  their  yards  near 
the  place  where  the  breach  was  effected,  and  that  although 
such  collection  of  prisoners  was  not  unusual  at  other  times 
(the  gambling  tables  being  commonly  kept  in  that  part  of  the 
yard)  yet,  when  connected  with  the  circumstances  of  the 
breach,  and  the  time  of  the  day,  which  was  after  the  hour  the 
signal  for  the  prisoners  to  their  respective  prisons  had  ceased 
to  sound,  it  became  a  natural  and  just  ground  of  alarm  to 
those  who  had  charge  of  the  depot.  :^ ; 

It  was  also  in  evidence  that  in  the  building  formerly  the 
petty  officers'  prison,  but  now  the  guard  barrack,  which 
stands  in  the  yard  to  which  the  hole  in  the  wall  would  serve 
fi9  a  communication,  a  part  of  the  arms  of  the  gu^rd  who 
were  off  duty,  were  usually  kept  in  the  racks,  and  though 
there  was  no  evidence  that  this  was  in  any  respect  the  nootive 
which  induced  the  prisoners  to  make  the  opening  in  the  wall, 


J. 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


lai 


or  even  that  they  were  ever  acquainted  with  the  fiict,  it  natur- 
ally became  at  least  a  further  cause  of  suspicion  and  alarm, 
and  an  additional  reason  for  precaution. 

Upon  these  grounds,  Captain  Shortland  appears  to  us  to 
have  been  justified  in  giving  the  order,  which  about  this  time 
he  seems  to  have  given,  to  sound  the  alarm-bell,  the  usual 
signal  for  collecting  the  officers  of  the  depot,  and^putting  the 
military  on  the  alert. 

However  reasonable  and  justifiable  this  was  as  a  "^easure 
of  precaution,  the  effects  produced  thereby  in  the  prisons, 
but  which  could  not  have  been  intended,  were  most  unfortu- 
nate, and  deeply  to  be  regretted.  A  considerable  number  of 
the  prisoners  in  the  yards,  where  no  disturbances  existed 
before,  and  who  were  either  already  within  their  respective 
prisons,  or  quietly  retiring  as  usual  towards  them,  imme- 
diately upon  the  sound  of  the  bell  rushed  back  from  curiosity 
(as  it  appears)  towards  the  gates,  where,  by  that  time,  the 
crowd  had  assembled,  and  many  who  were  at  the  time  absent 
from  their  yards,  were  also,  from  the  plan  of  the  prison,  com- 
pelled, in  order  to  reach  their  own  homes,  to  pass  by  the 
same  spot,  and  thus,  that  which  was  merely  a  measure  of  pre- 
caution, in  its  operation  increased  the  evil  it  was  intended  to 
prevent. 

Almost  at  the  same  instant  that  the  alarm-bell  rang,  (but 
whether  before  or  subsequent,  is,  upon  the  evidence,  doubtful, 
though  Captain  Shortland  states  it  positively,  as  one  of  his 
further  reasons  for  causing  it  to  ring)  some  one  or  more  of 
the  prisoners  broke  the  iron  chain,  which  was  the  only  fast- 
ening of  No.  1  gate,  leading  into  the  market-square,  by  meant 
of  an  iron  bar  ;  and  a  very  considerable  number  of  the  priso- 
nars  immediately  rushed  towards  that  gatQ, ;  and  many  of 
them  began  to  press  forwards  as  fast  as  the  opening  would 
permit,  into  the  square. 

There  was  no  direct  proof  before  us  of  previous  concert  or 
preparation  on  the  par:  of  the  prisoners  j  and  no  evidence  of 
their  intention  or  disposition  to  effect  their  escape  on  this  oc- 
casion, excepting  that  which  arose  by  inference  from  the  whole 
of  the  above  detailed  circumstances  connected  together. 

The  natural  and  almost  irresistible  inference  tr  be  drawn, 
however,  from  the  conduct  of  the  prisc""ro  by  Captain  Short- 
land  and  the  military,  was,  that  an  intention  on  the  part  of  the 
prisoners  to  escape  was  on  the  point  of  being  carried  into  exe- 


124 


THE    prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


cution,  and  it  was  at  least  certain  that  they  were  by  force  pass- 
ing beyond  the  limits  prescribed  to  them,  at  a  time  when  they 
ought  to  have  been  quietly  going  in  for  the  night.  It  was  also 
in  eridence  that  the  outer  gates  of  the  market  si|uare  were 
usually  opened  about  this  time  to  let  the  bread-wagon  pass 
and  repass  to  the  store,  although  at  the  period  in  question  they 
were  in  fact  closed. 

Under  these  circumstances,  and  with  these  impressions  ne- 
cessarily operating  upon  his  mind,  and  a  knowledge  that  if  the 
prisoners  once  penetrated  through  the  square,  the  power  of 
escape  was  almost  to  a  certainty  aflforded  to  them,  if  they 
should  be  so  disposed.  Capt.  Sliorlland,  in  the  first  instance, 
proceeded  down  the  square  towards  the  prisoners,  having  or- 
dered a  part  of  the  different  guards,  to  the  number  of  about 
fifty  only  at  first,  (though  they  were  increased  afterwards,)  to 
follow  him.  For  some  time  both  he  and  Dr.  McGrath  en- 
deavored by  quiet  means  and  persuasion,  to  induce  the  prison- 
ers to  retire  to  their  own  yards,  explaining  to  them  the  fat^ai 
consequences  which  must  ensue  if  they  refused,  as  the  military 
would  in  that  case  be  necessarily  compelled  to  employ  force. 
The  guard  was  by  this  time  formed  in  the  rear  of  Capt.  Short- 
land,  about  two  thirds  of  the  way  down  the  square — the  latter 
is  about  one  hundred  feet  broad,  and  the  guard  extended  near- 
ly all  across.  Captain  Shoriland,  finding  that  persuasion  was 
all  in  vain,  and  that  although  some  were  induced  by  it  to  make 
an  eflTort  to  retire,  others  pressed  on  in  considerable  numbers, 
at  last  ordered  about  15  file  of  the  guard,  nearly  in  front  of  the 
gate  which  had  been  forced,  to  charge  the  prisoners  back  to 
their  own  yards.  The  prisoners  were  in  some  places  so  near 
the  military,  that  one  of  the  soldiers  states  he  could  not  come 
fairly  down  to  the  charge  ;  and  the  military  were  unwilling  to 
act  as  against  an  enemy.  Some  of  the  prisoners  also  were 
unwilling  and  reluctant  to  retire,  and  some  pushing  and  strug- 
gling ensued  between  the  parties,  arising  partly  from  intention, 
but  mainly  from  the  pressure  of  those  behind  preventing  those 
in  front  from  getting  back.  After  some  little  time,  however, 
this  charge  appears  to  have  been  so  far  effective,  and  that  with 
little  or  no  injury  to  the  prisoners,  as  to  haive  driven  them  for 
the  most  part  quite  down  out  of  the  square,  with  the  exception 
of  a  small  number  who  continued  their  resistance  about  No.  1 
gate.  A  great  crowd  still  remained  collected  after  this  in  the 
passage  between  the  square  and  the  prisoners'  yards,  and  in 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISOltl 


125 


the  part  of  these  yards  in  the  vicinity  of  the  gates.  This  as- 
sembla/^e  still  refused  to  withdraw,  and  according  to  most  of 
the  English  witnesses,  and  some  of  the  American,  was  mak- 
ing a  noise,  hallooing,  insulting  and  provoking,  and  daring  the 
military  to  fire,  and,  according  to  the  evidence  of  some  of  the 
soldiets,  and  some'others,  was  pelting  the  military  with  large 
stones,  by  which  some  of  them  were  actually  struck.  This 
circumstance  is,  however,  denied  by  many  of  the  American 
witnesses;  and  some  of  the  English,  upon  having  the  question 
put  to  them,  stated  they  saw  no  stones  thrown  previously  to 
the  firing,  although  their  situation  at  the  time  was  such  as  to 
enable  them  to  see  most  of  the  ot'her  proceedings  in  the  square. 
Under  these  circumstances  the  firing  commenced.  With  re- 
gard to  any  order  having  been  given  to  fire,  the  evidence  is 
very  contradictory.  Several  of  the  Americans  swear  positive- 
ly that  Capt.  Shortland  gave  that  order;  but  the  manner  in 
which,  from  the  confusion  of  the  moment,  they  describe  this 
part  of  the  transaction,  is  so  different  in  its  details,  that  it  is 
very  difficult  to  reconcile  their  testimony".  Many  of  the  sol- 
diers and  other  English  witnesses  heard  the  word  given  by 
gome  one,  but  no-one  of  them  can  swear  it  was  by  Capt.  Short- 
land,  or  by  any  one  in  particular,  and  some,  amongst  whom  is 
the  officer  commanding  the  guard,  think,  il  Capt.  Shortland 
had  given  such  an  >rder,  that  they  must  have  heard  it,  which 
they  did  not.  In  uddition  to  this,  Capt.  Shortland  denies  the 
fact ;  and  from  the  situation  in  which  he  appeals  to  have  been 
placed  at  the  time,  even  according  to  the  American  witnesses, 
in  front  of  the  soldiers,  'it  may  appear  somewhat  improbable 
that  he  should  then  have  given  such  an  order.  But,  however, 
it  may  remain  a  matter  of  doubt  whether  the  firing  first  began 
in  the  square  by  order,  or  was  a  spontaneous  act  of  the  soldiers 
themselves,  it  seemed  clear  that  it  was  continued  and  renewed 
both  there  and  elsewhere,  without  orders ;  and  that  on  the  plat- 
forms, and  in  several  places  about  the  prison,  it  was  certainly 
commenced  without  any  authority.  The  fact  of  an  order  hav- 
ing been  given  at  first,  provided  the  firing  was,  under  the  ex- 
istmg  circumstances,  justifiable,  does  not  appear  very  material 
in  any  other  point  of  view  than  as  showing  a  want  of  self-pos- 
session and  discipline  in  the  troops,  if  they  should  have  fired 
without  order.  With  regard  to  the  above  most  important  con- 
sideration, of  whether  the  firing  was  justifiable  or  not,  we  are 
of  opinion,  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  from  the 


J^-p: 


126 


THE  prisoners'  MEMOIRS, 


ftpprehension  which  the  soldiers  might  fairly  entertain,  owing 
to  the  numbers  and  conduct  of  the  prisoners,  that  this  firing  to 
a  certain  extent,  was  justifiable  in  a  military  point  of  view,  in 
order  to  intimidate  the  prisoners,  and  compel  them  thereby  to  de- 
sist from  all  acts  of  violence,  and  to  retire  as  they  were  ordered, 
from  a  situation  in  which  the  responsibility  of  the  agents,  and 
the  military,  could   not  permit  them  with  safety  to  remain. — 
From  the  fact  of  the  crowd  being  so  close,  and  the  firing  at 
first  being  attended  with  very  little  injury,  it  appears  probable 
that  a  large  proportion  ot  the  muskets  were,  as  stated  by  one 
or  two  of  the  witnesses,  levelled  over  the  heads  of  the  priso- 
ners ;  a  circumstance  in  some  respects  to  be  lamented,  as  it 
induced  them  to  cry  out  "  blank  catridges,"  and  merely  irri- 
tated and  encouraged    them   to    renew  their  insults  to   the 
soldiery,  which  produced  a  repetition  of  the  firing  in  a  man- 
ner much  more  destructive.     The  firing  in  the  square  having 
continued  for  some  time,  by  which  several  of  the  prisoners 
sustained  injuries,  the  oreater  part  of  them  appear  to.h^ve 
been  running  back  with  ihe  utmost  precipitation  and  confusion 
to  their  respective  prisons,  and  the  cause  for  further  firing 
seems  at  this  period  to  have  ceased.     It  appears  accordin|[ly 
that  Capt.  Shortland  was  in  the  market  square,  exerting  him- 
self and  giving  orders  to  that  efiect,  and  that  Lieut.  Fortye 
had  succeeded  in  stopping  the  fire  of  his  part  of  the  guard. 
Under  these  circumstances,  it  is  very  difficult  to  find  any  jus- 
tification for  the  further  continuance  and  renewal  of  the  firing, 
which  certainly  took  place  both  in  the  prison  yards  and  else- 
where ;  though  we  have  some  evidence  of  subsequent  provo- 
cation given  to  the  military,  and  resistance  to  the  turnkeys 
in  shutting  the  prisons,  and  of  stones  being  thrown  out  from 
within  the  prison  doors.     The  subsequent  firing  rather  ap- 
pears to  have  arisen  from  the  state  of  individual  irritation  and 
exacsperation  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers  who  followed  the  pris- 
oners into  their  yards,  and  from  the  absence  of  nearly  all  the 
officers,  who  might,  have  restrained  it;   as  well  as  from  the 
great  difficulty  of  putting  an  end  to  a  firing  when  once  com- 
menced under  such  circumstances.  Capt.  Shortland  was  from 
this  time  busily  occupied  with  the  turnkeys  in  the  square,  re- 
ceiving and   taking  care  of  the  wounded.      Ensigjn  White 
remained  with  his  guard  at  the  breach,  and  Lieuts.  Avelyne 
and  Fortye,  the  only  other  subalterns  known  to  have  been 


OE   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


127 


present,  continued  in  the  square  with  the  main  bodies  of  their 
respective  guards. 

The  time  of  the  day,  which  was  the  officers*  dinner  hour, 
will,  in  some  measure,  explain  this,  as  it  caused  the  absence 
of  every  officer  from  the  prison  whose  presence  was  not  in- 
dispensable there.  And  this  circumstance,  which  has  been 
urged  as  an  argument  to  prove  the  intention  of  the  prisoners 
to  take  this  opportunity  lo  escape,  tended  to  increase  the  con- 
fusion, and  to  prevent  those  ^reat  exertions  being  made, 
which  might  perhaps  have  obviated  a  portion,  at  least,  of  the 
mischief  which  ensued. 

At  the  same  time  that  the  firing  was  going  ou  in  the 
square,  a  cross  fire  was  also  kept  up  from  several  of  the  plat- 
forms on  the  walls  round  the  prison  where  the  sentries  stand, 
by  straggling  parties  of  soldiers  who  ran  up  there  for  that 
purpose.  As  far  as  this  fire  was  directed  to  disperse  the  men 
assembled  round  the  breach,  for  which  purpose  it  was  most 
effectual,  it  seems  to  stand  upon  the  same  ground  as  that  in 
the  first  instance  in  the  square.  But  that  part,  which  it  is 
positively  sworn  was  directed  against  struggling  parties  of 
prisoners  running  about  the  yards  and  endeavoring  to  enter 
in  the  few  doors  which  the  turnkeys,  according  to  their  usual 
practice,  had  left  open,  does  seem,  as  'Stated,  to  have  been 
wholly  without  object  or  excuse,  and  to  have  been  a  wa'nton 
attack  upon  the  lives  of  defenceless,  and  at  that  time  unoffend- 
ing individuals.  In  the  same,  or  even  more  severe  terms,  we 
must  remark  upon  what  was  proved  as  to  the  firing  into  the 
door-ways  of  the  prisons,  more  particularly  into  that  of  No. 
3  prison,  at  a  time  when  the  men  were  in  crowds  at  the 
entrance.  From  the  position  of  the  prison  and  of  the  door, 
and  from  the  marks  of  the  balls  which  were  pointed  out  to  us, 
as  well  as  from  the  evidence,  it  was  clear  this  firing  must 
have  proceeded  from  soldiers  a  very  few  feet  from  the  door- 
way ;  and  although  it  was  certainly  sworn  that  the  prisoners 
were  at  the  time  of  part  of  the  firing  at  least,  continuing  to 
insult  and  occasionally  to  throw  stones  at  the  soldiers,  and 
that  they  were  standing  in  the  way  of,  and  impeding  the 
turnkey,  who  was  there  for  the  purpose  of  closing  the  door, 
yet  still  there  was  nothing  stated  ■wh"ch  could  in  our  view  at 
all  justify  such  excessively  harsh  and  severe  treatment  of 
helpless  and  unarmed  prisoners,  when  all  idea  of  escape  was 
at  an  en4«    Under  these  impressions  we  used  every  endeavor 


128 


THE   prisoners'   MEMOIRS. 


to  ascertain  if  there  was  the  least  prospect  of  identifying  any 
of  the  soldiers  who  had  been  guilty  of  the  particular  outrages 
here  alluded  to,  or  of  tracing  any  particular  death  at  that 
time  to  the  firing  of  any  particular  individual,  but  without  sue* 
cess;  and  all  hopes  of  bringing  the  offenders  to  punishment 
should  seem  to  be  at  an  end.  In  conclusion,  we,  the  under> 
signed,  have  only  to  add,  that  whilst  we  lament,  as  we  do 
most  deeply,  the  unfortunate  transaction  which  has  been  the 
subject  of  this  inquiry,  we  find  ourselves  totally  unable  to 
suggest  any  steps  to  be  taken  as  to  those  parts  of  it  which  seem 
to  call  for  redress  and  punishment. 


(Signed) 


CHARLES  KING, 

FRAS.  SEYMOUR  LARPENT. 


Sir, 


London,  18th  April,  1815. 


At  the  request  of  Lord  Castlereagh,  we  have  hfeid 
interviews  with  him  and  Mr.  Goulburn  on  the  subject  of  the 
transportation  of  the  American  prisoners  now  in  this  country, 
to  the  United  States,>^nd  of  the  late  unfortunate  event  at  the 
depot  at  Dartmoor. 

On  the  first  subject  we  agreed  to  advise  your  acceptance  of 
the  proposition  of  Lord  Castlereagh  to  transport  the  prisoners 
at  the  joint  expense  of  the  two  countries,  reserving  the  con- 
struction of  the  articles  of  the  treaty,  which  provides  for  the 
mutual  restoration  of  prisoners,  for  future  adjustment.  It 
was  stated  by  us,  and  was  so  understood,  that  the  joint 
expense,  thus  to  be  incurred,  is  to  comprehend  as  well  the 
requisite  tonnage  as  the  subsistence  of  the  prisoners;  and 
moreover  that  measures  of  precaution  should  be  adopted  rela- 
tive to  the  health  and  comfort  of  the  prisoners  similar  to  those 
which  had  taken  place  in  America. 

The  details  of  this  arrangement,  if  you  concur  with  us  as 
to  the  expediency  of  making  it,'  are  left  with  you  to  settle 
with  the  proper  British  authority. 

On  the  other  subject,  as  a  statement  of  the  transaction  has 
been  received  from  the  American  prisoners,  difiering  very 
materially  in  fact  from  that  which  had  resulted  ^om  an 
inquiry  instituted  by  the  port  admiral,  it  has  been  thought 
advisable  that  some  means  should  be  devised  of  prOicuring 
information  as  to  the  real  state  of  the  case,  in  order,  on  the 


OR  DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


129 


US  as 
settle 

n  has 
very 
m  an 
ought 
mring 
}n  the 


one  hand,  to  show  that  there  had  not  been  any  wanton  or  im- 
proper  sacrifice  of  the  lives  of  American  citizens,  or,  on  the 
other,  to  enable  (he  British  government  to  punish  their  civil 
and  military  officers,  if  it  should  appear  that  they  have 
resorted  to  measures  of  extreme  severity  without  necessity,  or 
with  too  much  precipitation. 

Lord  Castlereagh  proposed  that  the  inquiry  should  be  a 
joint  one,  conducted  by  a  commissioner  selected  by  each 
government.  And  we  have  thought  such  an  inquiry  most 
likely  to  produce  an  impartial  and  satisfactory  result. 

We  presume  that  you  will  have  too  much  occupation  on 
the  first  subject  and  the  other  incidental  duties  of  your  office, 
to  attend  to  this  inquiry  in  person.  On  that  supposition,  we 
have  stated  to  the  British  government  that  we  should  recom- 
mend to  you  the  selection  of  Charles  King,  Esq.  as  a  fit 
person  to  conduct  it  on  behalf  of  the  American  government. 
If  Mr.  King  will  undertake  the  business,  he  will  forthwith 
proceed  to  Dartmoor,  and  in  conjunction  with  the  British 
commissioner,  who  may  be  appointed  on  the  occasion,  will 
examine  the  persons  concerned,  and  such  other  evidence  as 
may  be  thought  necessary,  and  make  a  joint  report  upon  the 
&cts  of  the  case  to  John  Q,.  Adams,  Ksq.  Minister  Plenipoten- 
tiary of  the  United  States  at  this  court,  and  to  the  British 
government. 

The  mode  of  executing  this  service  must  be  le^t  to  the  dis- 
cretion of  Mr.  King  and  his  colleague.  If  thoy  can  agree 
upon  a  narrative  of  the  facts  after  having  heard  the  evidence, 
it  will  be  better  than  reporting  the  whole  mass  of  testimony 
in  detail,  which  they  may  perhaps  find  it  necessary  to  do,  if 
they  cannot  come  to  such  an  agreement. 

We  are,  sir,  your  obedient  humble  servants, 
(Signed)  H.  CLAY, 

ALBERT  GALLATIN. 
R.  G.  Beasley,  Esq.  &c.,  &c. 


Plymouth,  26th  April,  1815. 
Sir, 

In  pursuance  of  instructions  received  from  Messrs. 
Clay  and  Gallatin,  I  have  now  the  honor  to  transmit  to  j'ou 
the  rejfort  prepared  by  Mr.  Larpent  and  myself  on  behalf  of 
our  respective  governments,  in  relation  to   the  unfortunate 


130 


THE   prisoners'    MBMOIRS, 


transactions  at  Dartmoor  Prison  of  War,  on  the  6th  uf  the 
present  month.  Considering  it  of  much  importance  that  the 
report,  whatever  it  might  be,  should  go  forth  under  our  joint 
signatures,  I  have  forborne  to  press  some  of  the  points  which 
it  involves,  as  far  as  otherwise  I  might,  have  done,  and  it 
therefore  may  not  be  improper  in  this  letter  to  enter  into 
some  little  explanation  of  such  parts  of  the  report.  Although 
it  does  appear  that  a  part  of  the  prisoners  were  on  that  evening 
in  such  a  state,  and  under  such  circumstances,  as  to  have  jus- 
tified, in  the  view  which  the  commander  of  the  depot  could 
not  but  take  of  it,  the  intervention  of  the  military  force,  and 
even  in  a  strict  sense,  the  first  use  of  fire-arms,  yet  I  cannot 
but  express  it  as  my  settled  opinion,  that  by  conduct  a  little 
more  temporizing,  this  dreadful  alternalive  of  firing  upon 
unarmed  prisoners  might  have  been  avoided.  Yet  as  this 
opinion  has  been  the  result  of  subsequent  examination,  and 
after  having  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  comparatively 
harmless  state  of  the  prisoners,  it  may  be  but  fair  to  consider, 
whether  in  such  a  Moment  of  confusion  and  alarm,  as  tnat 
appears  to  have  been,  the  officer  commanding  could  have 
fairly  estimated  his  danger,  or  have  measured  out  with  pre- 
cision the  extent  and  nature  of  the  force  necessary  to  guard 
against  it. 

But  when  the  firing  became  general,  as  it  fift3rwards  ap- 
pears to  have  done,  and  caught  with  electric  rapidity  from  the 
square  to  the  platforms,  there  is  no  plea  or  shadow  of  excuse 
for  it,  except  in  the  personal  exasperation  of  the  soldiery,  nor 
for  the  more  deliberate,  and  therefore  more  unjustifiable,  firing 
which  took  place  into  three  of  the  prisons,  No.  1,  3  and  4,  but 
more  particularly  into  No.  3,  after  the  prisoners  had  retired 
into  them,  and  there  was  no  longer  any  pretence  of  apprehen- 
sions as  to  their  escape.  Upon  this  ground,  as  you,  sir,  will 
perceive  by  the  report,  Mr.  Larpent  and  myself  had  no  differ- 
ence of  opinion,  and  tarn  fully  persuaded  that  my  own  regret 
was  not  greater  than  his,  at  perceiving  how  hopeless  would 
be  the  attempt  to  trace  to  any  individuals  of  the  military  these 
outrageous  proceedings. 

As  to  whether  the  order  to  fire  came  from  Captain  Short- 
land,  I  yet  confess  myself  unable  to  form  any  satisfactory 
opinion,  though  perhaps  the  bias  of  my  mind  is,  that  he  did 
give  such  an  orcler.  But  his  anxiety  and  exertions  to  stop  it 
after  it  had  continued  for  some  little  time,  are  fully  proved, 


OR    DARTMOOR    PRISON. 


m 


and  his  general  conduct,  previous  to  this  occurrence,  as  far  as 
we  could  with  propriety  enter  into  such  details,  appears  to 
have  been  characterized  with  great  fairness,  and  even  kind- 
ness, in  the  light  in  which  he  stood  towards  the  prisoners. 

On  the  subject  of  any  complaints  against  their  own  govern* 
ment  existing  among  the  prisoners,  it  was  invariably  answered 
to  several  distinct  questions  put  by  me  on  that  head,  that  none 
whatsoever  existed  or  had  been  expressed  by  ihem,  although 
they  coafeased  themselves  to  entertain  some  animosity  against 
Mr.  Beasley,  to  whom  they  attributed  their  detention  in  this 
country ;  with  what  justice  you,  sir,  will  be  better  able  to 
judge.  They  made  no  complaint  whatsoever,  as  to  their  pro- 
visions and  general  mode  of  living  and  treatment  in  the  prison. 

I  have  transmitted  to  Mr.  Beasley  a  list  of  the  killed  and 
•wounded  on  this  melancholy  occasion,  with  a  request  that  he 
would  forward  it  to  the  United  States  for  the  infqrmation  of 
their  friends  at  home,  and  I  am  pleased  to  have  it  in  my  power 
to  say,  that  the  wounded  are  for  the  most  part  doing  well. 

I  have  also  enclosed  to  Mr.  Beasley  the  notes  taken  by  mo 
of  the  evidence  adduced  before  us,  with  a  request  that  he 
would  have  them  fairly  copied,  as  also  a  copy  of  the  depo- 
sitions taken  before  the  coroner,  and  desired  him  to  submit 
them  to  you  when  in  order. 

I  cannot  conclude,  sir,  without  expressing  my  high  sense 
of  the  impartiality  and  manly  firmness  with  which  thia  in-, 
quiry  has  been  conducted  on  the  pan  ci  Mr.  Larpent,  nor 
without  mentioning  that  every  facility  was  afibrded  to  us  in 
its  prosecution,  as  well  by  the  military  officers  commanding 
here  and  at  the  prison,  as  by  the  magistrates  in  the  vicinity. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  much  respect,  your  most  obe- 
dient humble  servant, 

(Signed)  *  CHARLES  KING. 


His  Excellency,  J.  Q.  Adams,  6lc.,  &c. 


London,  30th  April,  1816. 
Sir: 

In  my  letter  of  the  19th  instant,  I  informed  you  of  the 
measures  which  had  been  adopted  here  in  consequence  of  the 
late  unfortunate  event  at  Dartmoor  prison. 


132 


THE    PRISONERS     MEMOIRS, 


;H 


I  have  now  the  honor  to  transmit  the  copy  of  a  letter  ad- 
dressed to  me  by  Mr.  Clay  and  Mr.  Gallatin,  relative  to  that 
occurrence,  and  to  the  transportation  of  the  American  prison- 
ers in  this  country  to  the  United  States. 

In  the  absence  of  Mr.  Adams,  it  becomes  my  duty  to  com- 
municate, for  the  information  of  our  government,  the  result  of 
the  investigation  at  Dartmoor.  I  enclose  a  copy  of  the  joint 
report  of  the  commissioners  appointed  for  that  purpose,  also  of 
a  letter  from  Mr.  King  to  Mr.  Adams,  and  of  a  list  of  the 
killed  and  wounded  on  that  melancholy  occasion. 

I  shall  leave  to  Mr.  Adams  any  further  steps  which  he  may 
deem  it  proper  to  take  in  this  business.  I  cannot,  however, 
forbear  to  noticj  the  erroneous  impression  of  the  prisoners, 
that  their  dotftntion  so  long  has  been  owing  to  me.  You  are 
aware,  jir,  of  my  constant  exertions  during  the  war  to  effect 
their  liberation.  I  immediately,  on  the  signing  of  the  treaty 
of  peace  at  Glhent,  renewed  my   instances  on  that  subject; 

fkroposing,  as  a  condition,  that  all  prisoners  who  might  be  ^e- 
ivered  over  to  me  by  the  British  government,  should  be  con- 
sidered as  prisoners  of  war,  and  not  at  liberty  to  serve  until 
regularly  exchanged,  in  the  event  of  the  treaty  not  being  rat- 
ified by  the  President.  This  proposition  was  declined,  and 
in  a  peremptory  manner. 

On  the  receipt  of  the  intelligence  of  the  ratification  from 
America,  I  lost  not  a  moment  in  requesting  the  release  of  the 
prisoners,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty  ;  and  the  num- 
ber of  vessels  which  I  had  hired,  as  mentioned  in  my  letter  of 
the  13th,  and  which  are  now  on  their  voyage  to  'he  United 
States,  will  shovv  that  the  necessary  steps  were  taken  to  pro- 
vide for  their  immediate  transportation  to  their  country.  The 
prisoners  p.lso  were  informed  of  these  measures,  and  of  the 
exertions  v.'hich  had  been  made  from  the  commencement,  to 
return  them  to  their  homes  with  the  least  possible  delay. 
Therefore,  whatever  may  have  been  their  uneasiness,  under 
confinement,  and  whatever  hostile  feelings  they  may  have 
had  towards  me,  as  noticed  in  the  report;  and  in  Mr.  King's 
letter,  I  must  s&.y,  with  confidence,  that  I  could  not  prevent 
the  one,  nor  have  I  deserved  the  other. 

I  have  the  honoi  to  be,  sir,  your  most  obedient  humble 
servant, 

R.  G.  BEASLEY. 
;:    The  Hon.  John  Mason,  &c.  ^'C. 


[\ 


OR  DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


133 


3tter  ad- 
to  that 
)  prison- 
to  corn- 
result  of 
he  joint 
?,  also  of 
3t  of  the 

he  may 
lowev^r, 
risoners, 
You  are 
to  effect 
le  treaty 
subject ; 
ht  be  ^e- 

be  con- 
rve  until 
?ing  rat- 
ned,  and 

ion  from 

se  of  the 

he  num- 

letter  of 

United 

to  pro- 

;/.     The 

d  of  the 

ment,  to 

delay. 

8,  under 

ly  have 

King's 

prevent 

humble 

.EY. 


[From  the  Plymouth  (Eng.)  Telegraph,  April  22, 1815.] 
To  the  Editor : 
Sir, 

The  officers  and  prisoners  of  this  depot,  feeling  an  ar- 
dent desire  that  the  citizens  of  the  United  Slates  may  be  in- 
formed of  the  many  and  great  services  rendered  them  by  Dr. 
Magrath,  and  likewise  that  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain  may 
learn  with  '  what  sentiments  of  gratitude  and  respect  his  un- 
paraleled  efforts  in  the  cause  of  humanity,  and  the  discharge 
of  his  duty,  have,  at  this  depot,  filled  us;  we  have  to  request 
that  you  will  cause  to  be  inserted  in  your  paper,  as  early  as 
possible,  copies  of  the  enclosed  testimonials,  addressed  to  that 
gentleman.  I  am,  &c., 

BENJAMIN  MERCER. 
Hospital,  April  13,  1815. 


Dartmoor  Prison,  March  28,  1816. 
To  His  Excellency  James  Madison. 
Honored  and  respected  Sir  ; 

From  the  general  philanthrophy  of  your  character,  and 
liberality  of  sentiment,  no  apology  is  deemed  requisite  for  in- 
troducing to  your  particular  notice,  and  tiiat  of  the  nation  at 
laige,  Dr.  George  Magrath,  principal  of  the  medical  depart- 
ment for  the  American  prisoners  of  war  in  England.  It  is 
impossiblefor  us  to  speak  of  this  gentleman  in  terms  that  will 
do  justice  to  his  superior  professional  science,  brilliant  talents, 
the  exemplary  virtues  of  his  heart,  the  urbanity  and  easy  ac- 
cessibility of  his  manners,  his  unremitting  assiduities  and 
unwearied  exertions,  in  combatting  a  succession  of  diseases  of 
the  most  exasperated  and  malignant  character,  which  prevailed 
among  the  prisoners.  At  the  first  forming  of  the  depot,  pneu- 
monia, in  its  worst  form,  generally  prevailed,  which  degener- 
ated into  a  still  more  dangerous  species  of  pulmonic  com- 
plaint, nearly  peripneumonia  notha,  which  was  rapidly  suc- 
ceeded by  a  putrid  kind  of  measles,  and  that  destructive  mal- 
ady followed  by  a  malignant  small-pox,  which  spread  rapid- 
ly ;  dismay  and  apprehension  were  painted  on  every  counte- 
nance. 

Dr.  Magrath's  time  r.nd  attention  were  fully  occupied  in 

13       .     •  *  ~       ■ 


"^■^^v 


\\ 


134 


THE   prisoners'    MEMOIRS, 


the  hospital,  and  in  vaccinating  the  prisoners.  From  his  un- 
precedented exertions  in  an  inclement  season  of  the  year,  in 
a  most  inhospitable  clime,  his  health  became  seriously  im- 
paired ;  but  totally  regardless  of  himself,  he  persevered  in  his 
unparalleled  exertions,  and  from  his  superior  knowledge  in 
the  healing  art,  was  the  means,  under  divine  Providence,  of 
rescuing  many  citizens  of  the  United  States  from  the  fast  ap- 
proximating embraces  of  death.  This  malignant  species  of 
small-pox,  unknown  to  the  generality  of  professional  gentle- 
men, appeared  in  other  places,  and  a  far  greater  number  fell 
victims,  in  proportif)n  to  the  cases  at  the  place.  We  therefore 
trust,  that  some  distinguished  mark  of  the  nation's  gratitude 
will  be  conferred  on  Dr.  Magrath  ;  for  this  truly  great  man's 
exertions  in  the  cause  of  suffering  humanity,  have  been  rarely 
equalled,  but  never  excelled. 

We  have  the  honor  to  remain,  with  sentiments  of  respect 
and  attachment,  your  excellency's  obedient  humble  serva  ^ts, 

BENJ.  MERCER, 
PIERRE  G.  DE  PEYSTER, 
HENRY  PROCTOR, 
JOHN  COTTLE, 
THOS.  CARBERRY, 
JAMES  LESTER, 
HENRY  BULL, 
TBOS.  B.  MOTT. 
SETH  WALKER, 
WILLIAM  WEST, 
CHARLES   DEXTER, 
WILLIAM  MOLLEY, 
JOHN  S.  TROUBRIDGE. 
HENRY  SHERBURNE, 
THOS.  B.  FROST. 


ANSWER. 

Officers  and  brave  Americans  collectively :  ^ 

Permit  me  to  request  you  will  accept  the  warmest  and 
most  sincere  thanks  of  my  heart,  for  the  flattering  testimo- 
nials of  your  approbation  of  my  conduct,  with  which  you 


OR   DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


135 


have  honored  me,  and  allow  me  to  assure  you,  that  nothing 
can  be  more  exquisitely  gratifying  to  my  very  best  feeling, 
than  the  language  in  which  yru  have  been  pleased  to  convey 
this  mark  of  your  esteem.  1  feel  convinced  that  you  will 
indulgently  excuse  me,  if  I  find  it  impossible  to  command 
words  sufficiently  emphatic,  adequately  to  express  the  senti- 
ments  of  gratitude,  with  which  I  am  penetrated,  for  this  unex- 
pected proof  of  your  regard ;  I  must  therefore  allow  my 
heart,  rather  than  my  pen,  to  thank  you.  But  it  would  not 
be  doing  justice  to  my  feelings  were  I  to  abstain  from  assur- 
ing you,  that  I  have  endeavjied  to  perform  my  duty  towards 
you,  with  that  self-devotedness  which  looks  only  for  its  re- 
ward in  its  own  consciousness  of  right,  and  its  own  secret 
sense  of  virtue;  and  whatever  difficulties  I  have  had  to  en- 
counter in  the  discharge  of  my  important  trust,  by  struggling 
with  a  succession  of  the  most  violent  and  exasperated  epidemic 
diseases,  perhaps  ever  recorded  in  medical  history,  during  the 
whole  of  my  service  among  you,  the  distinguished  proof  of 
your  confidence,  and  approbation  of  my  professional  labors, 
with  which  you  this  day  have  been  pleased  to  honor  me, 
amply  compensates  me,  and  must  rank  amongst  the  proudest 
and  happiest  events  of  my  life.  It  now  only  remains  for  me, 
in  this  plain,  but  unfeigned  language,  again  to  beg  you  will 
receive  ray  most  sincere  thanks  ;  and  to  assure  you,  collec- 
tively, that  a  due  and  lively  sense  of  the  high  honor  which 
you  have  confened  upon  me,  shall,  to  the  last  moments  of  my 
existence,  remam  ingrafled  in  my  breast.  And  here  allow 
me  most  sincerely  to  congratulate  you  on  the  happy  event 
waich  terminates  your  captivity,  and  which  is  soon  to  restore 
y.Ti  to  the  bosoms  of  your  families  and  friends ;  and  that  you 
ijr- ;  all  enjoy  peace  and  happiness,  is  the  sincere  wish  of 
i.r    lost  grateful  and  much  obliged  humble  servant, 

"^      '  GEO.  MAGRATH. 

Dartmoca,  March  30,  1815. 


Dartmoor  Prison,  April  9th,  1815. 
To  His  ExcsUency  John  Q,.  Adams.  ^-     »  .- 

Sir: 
Impressed  with  the  sense  of  duty  which  we  owe  to  our 
ouatry  and  to  ourselves,  we  respectively  solicit  permission  to 


136 


'THE   PRISOMEES'   MEMOIRS, 


introduce  to  your  Excellency  George  Ma^rath,  Esq.,  M.D., 
principal  of  the  medical  department  at  this  depot.  Language 
18  incompetent  to  delineate  the  worth  and  character  of  this 
gentleman,  pre-eminent  in  medical  science,  enriched  by  every 
virtue  and  accomplishment  that  can  dignify  and  adorn  hum&n 
nature,  and  form  the  gentleman  and  philanthrophist. 

His  professional  skill  has  been  peculiarly  conspicuous  in 
his  successfully  combatting  a  succession  of  diseases^  of  the 
most  exasperated  and  malignant  character,  which  prevailed 
among  the  prisoners. 

Dr.  Magrath's  health,  from  his  indefatigable  exertions, 
became  seriously  impaired,  but  he  persevered  in  the  perform- 
ance of  his  arduous  duties  and  unremitting  efforts  to  arrest 
the  alarming  --nd  rapid  advances  of  the  prevailing  diseases ; 
and  he  was  >,.■  ?  *ni  under  divine  Providence  of  rescuing 
many  citizens  c.  le  United  States  from  a  premature  grave, 
and  av  it  were,  renewing  their  existence,  but  more  particularly 
on  the  late  unhappy  occurrence. 

Language  is  too  impotent  to  describe  Dr.  Magrath's  unex- 
ampled endeavors  to  prevent  the  effusion  of  blood ;  regardless 
of  the  many  dangers  by  which  he  was  environed,  he  per- 
severed, amidst  the  heavy  and  incessant  fire  of  musketry,  in 
his  humane  endeavors  to  prevent  the  fatal  catastrophe.    • 

His  treatment  of  the  unfortunate  wounded  Americans  is 
superior  to  all  praise,  and  was  such  as  to  entitle  Dr.  Alagrath 
to  the  esteem  and  gratitude  of  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States. 

We  therefore  respectfully  and  ardently  solicit  that  your 
Excellency  would  be  pleased  to  honor  Dr.  Magrath  with 
you**  paiticular  notice  and  esteem,  and  to  convey  these  our 
sentiments  to  the  government  of  the  United  States ;  for  we 
would  wish  to  give  all  possible  publicity  to  our  high  sense  of 
Dr.  Magrath,  and  to  evince  to  our  country  and  the  world  how 
gratefully  we  appreciate  the  essential  services  we  have  re- 
ceived from  that  gentleman. 

We  avail  ourselves  of  this  opportunity  to  offer  to  your 
Excellency  our  congratulations  on  the  happy  tferniitiation  of 
your  important  duties  at  Ghent,  by  the  conclusion  of  a  peace 
io  highly  honorable  to  our  beloved  country,  and  to  yourself, 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


137 


.,  M.D., 

mguage 

of  this 

ly  every 

I  hunaan 


iuous  in 
r  of  the 
irevailed 

lertions, 
jerform- 
o  arrest 
liseases ; 
rescuing 
e  grave, 
icularly 

1*8  unex- 
gardlesB 
he  per- 
:etry,  in 

leans  is 

lagrath 

United 

It  your 
with 
lese  our 

for  we 
lense  of 

Id  how 
lave  re- 


o  your 
tion  of 
i  peace 
Hirself, 


and  to  assure  your  Excellency  of  our  high  respect  and  attach- 
ment to  your  character  and  person. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  humble  servants, 

For  and  in  behalf  of  the  American  prisoners  of  war  at  this 
depot, 

PIERRE  G.  DEPEYSTER, 
HENRY  PROCTOR, 
HENRY  BULL. 
JOHN  COTTLE, 
THOS.  GAIR. 
THOS.  CARBERRY, 
i  JAMES  LESTER, 

BENJ.  MERCER, 
ISAAC  DOWELL. 


Dartmoor,  April  10,  1815. 
Gentlemen, 

Honored  as  I  am  with  the  approbation  of  those  whose  good 
opinion  I  so  highly  estimate,  I  cannot  permit  myself  to  re- 
ceive this  additional  mark  of  your  friendship  and  regard  (in 
which  you  much  overrate  my  humble  exertions,  in  the  dis- 
charge of  my  duty  and  the  cause  of  humanity,)  without 
begging  leaye  to  assure  you,  that  whilst  it  reflects  upon  me 
the  highest  honor  that  could  be  conferrt^d,  it  lays  claim  to  my 
heartfelt  acknowledgm-^nts  and  everlasting  gratitude. 

With  the  most  sincere  and  cordial  good  wishes  for  your 
health  and  happiness, 

I  remain,  gentlemen. 
Your  much  obliged  and  most  grateful  servant, 

GEO.  MAGRATH. 
To  the  gentlemen  forming  the  Hospital  Committee. 


12* 


138 


THE   prisoners'  MEMOIRS, 


Februart,  1815. 

Tke  following  is  a  cdfrrect  list  of  all  who  entered  his  Majesty's  service 
out  of  Dartmoor  prison  from  April  1813  until  1814  j  to  which  is 
annexed  their  former  residence,  and  the  skips  in  wfyich  they  were 
captured  or  impressed. 

James  Akin,  Roabury,  Mass.,  Wm.  Bayard. 

Abel  Akins,  Penobscot,  Maine,  Tygfis,  Baltimore. 

Alford  Arnold,  unknown,  Penn.,  \nper,        do 

Wm.  Armstrong,  Salem,  Mass.,  Rolla,  priv. 

Anthony  Agusta,  New  Orleans,      do      do 

Henry  Allen,  Roxbury,  Mass.,  Wm.  Bayard,  N.  Y. 

George  Blanchard,  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  4^ 

Gabriel  Bugoine — Vir.,  brig  Star,  N.  Y. 

Henry  Brown,  New  York,  Criterion,  Baltimore. 

Edward  Blackstone,  Kennebunk,  Maine,    do 

Wm.  Bishop,  Danverse,  Mass.,  Spitfire,  Boston. 

Wm.  Brown,  New-Point-Comfort,  Vir.,  U.  S.  brig  Argus. 

Frederick  Cransburgh,  Prussia,  brig  Star.  ^ 

John  C.  Cox,  b.  New  York,  do  '" 

Stephen  Churchell,  Richmond,  Vir.,  Viper,  Bait. 

Samuel  Cqok,  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  Price,        do  .j 

Albert  Cooper,  Newburyport,  Mass.,  man-of-war. 

Jerodia  Denison,  Middleton,  Con.,  brig  Star. 

John  Duncan,  Boston,  Viper. 

Wm.  Ervine,  New  York,  Virginia  Planter.  , 

Francis  Foster,  New  London,  Con.,  Meteor,  N.  Y. 

Shubel  Folgor,  Nantucket,  Mass.,  Wm.  Bayard. 

William  Fentony  Wiscasset,  Maine,  man-of-war. 

Daniel  Holt,  New  London,  Con.,  brig  Star,  N.  Y. 

John  Hughs,  New  York,  do  do 

John  Hubbard,        do  do  do 

James  Holms,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Magdalin,  N.  Y. 

Thorn  as  Howell,  Beverley,  Mass.,  Independence. 

Anthony  Hughieco,  New  Orleans,  Rolla,  privateer. 

Aaron  Hinkley,  Bath,  Mass.,  Viper,  Bait. 

Francis  Josepb,  New  Orleans,  brig  Star,  N.  Y. 

James  Jackson,  Phil.,  Penn.,  Paul  Jones,  N.  Y. 

John  Little,  do  Unknown 

Mathew  Latimore,  N.  Y.,  Meteor,  N.  Y.  ^ 

Robert  Murray,  Newport,  R.  L,  Rolla,  Phil. 

Henry  Neal,  N.  Y.,  N.  Y.,  Ned,  Bait. 

Charles  M«Nites,  Bait.,  Maryland,  Ned,  Bait.  ^ 

John  New^en  ,  N.  Y.,  True-blooded  Yankee. 

Francis  Rice,  Boston,  Mass.,  Virginia  Planter. 

Ebenezer  Rich,  Portland,  Mass.,  Flash,  N.  Y.     . 


/ 


1815. 

ys  service 
t  which  is 
they  vere 


OB  SARTHOOR  PRISON. 


139 


1..     ;  '^, 


John  Senate,  Philadelphia,  Wm.  Bayard. 
John  Sheard,  Poughkeepeie,  N.  Y.,  do. 
John  Shultz,  Denmark,  Criterion,  N.  Y. 
Wm.  Smith,  New  York,  Terrible. 
John  Thompson,  Denmark,  brig  Star. 
Wm.  Thomaa,  Germany,  Viper,  Bait. 
Zach.  Tough,  New  London,  Con.,  Terrible. 
John  WillMwns,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  Wm.  Baj'ard. 
Edward  Waghburn,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  brig  Star. 
George  Williams,  Bait.,  Maryl.,  Charlotte,  Charlt. 
John  Wilson,  Phil.,  Penn.,  GWvernor  Gerry,  N.  Y. 
William  Warner,  New  York,  Ni  Y.,  Ajax. 
John  West,  do  do    Dukanor. 

Israel  Wright,  Tinmouth,  Ver.,  brig  Star,  N.  Y. 
Wm.  Wilson,  Long  Island,  N-  Y.,  Ned,  Bait. 
Robert  Wesel,  New  York,      do  do 

James  Pickerton,  Hampton,  Vir.,  Lightning,  PhO. 
Francis  Lisda,  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  Unknown. 
James  Johnson,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  brig  Mars. 


T%e  following  is  a  correct  List  of  all  who  entered  his  MaiestTjfs  ttt' 
vice  from  the  different  prison  ships  at  Chatham,  from  April  1S13, 
until  June  1814.     Copied  fr(yn  the  clerk's  boo'cs. 

John  Anderson,  b.  Newcastle,  Del.,  man-of-war. 

John  Atkinson,  b.  Baltimore,  Maryland,  True  Blood. 

John  Austin,  unknown,  unknown. 

Joslah  AbrsMiam,  Phil.,  Penn.,  man-of-war. 

James  Anderson,  Bait.,  Maryland,  unki^own. 

Peter  Boyd,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  do 

John  Boyd,  Kennebunk,  Mass.,  do 

John  Brown,  New  Bedford,  Impressed. 

John  Bauld,  Block.  Island,  man-of-war. 

Isaac  Baily,  Boston,  Mass.,        do 

John  Brown,  Salem,    do    True  Blood. 

Peter  Brown,  Phil.,  Penn.,  unknown. 

George  Bing,  New  York,N.  Y.,  man-of-war. 

John  Brown,  b.  Salem,  Mass.,  do 

Samuel  Billham,  b.  do        do  do 

John  Barks,  New  Bedford,  do  * 

George  Burnt,  Phil.,  Penn.,  do 

Asa  Bumpus,  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  unknown. 

RufuB  Brown,  ]^astport,  do 

John  Burns,  Nflrth  Cai   Una,  do 

John  Baily,  Hainsbury,  Mass.,  do 

Ebenezer  Carter,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  man*of-war 

Isaac  Crawford,  Boston,  Mass.,  do 


140 


TAB  prisoners'   MEMOIRS, 


fienjamin  Cotton,  Norfolk,  Vir.,        man-of-war. 
Thomas  Charles,  b.  New  York,  N.  Y.,      do 
Charles  Cuffee,  Lone  Island,         do  do 

Isaac  Carrol,  New  York,  do        unknown. 

E^ekiel  Church,  Phil.,  Penn.,  do 

Peter  Dowling,  Lewisburg,  Vir.,  Gov.  Tomkins. 
Wm.  Denning,  New  Bedford,  man-of-war. 
Isaac  Darlton,  Boston,  Mass.,  do 

Thomas  Denison,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  man-of-war. 
Thomas  Dunn,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  unknown. 
John  Davis,  Alexandria,  Vir.,  man-of-war. 
Henry  Dison,  Holmes'  Hole,  unknown. 
Silas  Eaton,  Phil.,  Penn.,  M.  S.  Malta. 
Dudley  French,  b.  Newburyport,  Mass.,  unknown 


John  Fowler,  do 

Elias  Field,  do 

Nicholas  Gold,  North  Kingston,  R.  I.,  do 

Wm.  Goes,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  do 

Jeremiah  Gills,  b.  Baltimore,  Maryland,  do 

Isaac  Griffin,  Boston,  Mass.  do 

Gills,  New  York,  N.y..  do 

Samuel  Harvey,  North  Carolina,  Impressed. 
James  Hoyd,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  man-of-war. 
Henry  Hamong,  Phil.,  Penn.,  brig  Esel,  Bait. 
Heniy  Holsworth,  New  York,  unknown. 
John  Hopkins,  do  do 

Samuel  Hopkins,       do  do 

Samuel  Hamsly,  b.  do  do 

Wm.  Hull,  b.  Bait.,  Maryland,  do 
Johnson  Harlem,  b.  New  York,  do 
James  Hall,  Wainsburg,  N.  Y.,  do 
Wm.  Hubbard,  Providence,  R.  I.,  do 
Peter  Henrv,  Phil, Penn.,  do 

Thos.  Hazaird,  Narragansett,  R.  I.  do 
John  Fitz,  New  Bedford,  Mass.,    do 
Benjamin  Holbrook,  Kennebeck,    do 
Thomas  Jackson,  b.  New- York,       do 
John  Jackson,  Long-Island,  do. 

Samuel  Jackson,  b.  Salem,  Mass.,  do. 
John  Jackson,  b.  New-Bedford,  do. 
Wm.  Johnson,  Norfolk,  Vir.  do. 

Zaca  James,  Snowhill,  Maryland,  do. 
Francis  Johnson,  Bal.        do.  do. 

Nathan  Kezer,  Newburyport,  Mass.  do. 
John  Jones,  Boston,  do.    do. 

Isaac  Lemur,  do.  do.  Impressed. 

Andrew  Lamson,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  unknown. 
John  Lunderson,  New- York,  do. 


%• 


( 


/ 


OR  DARTMOOR  PRISON* 


141 


John  lAines,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  brig  Hunter. 
George  Lewis,  b.  unknown,        unknown^ 
George  Lee,  b.  Salem,  Moss.    *        do. 
Asa  Freeman,  Pittyfoog,  unknown. 
Jeremiah  Miller,  Soco,  Maine,  do. 
Edward  Mathews,  Phil.  Penn.       man  of  war. 
John  Morris,  do.      do.  do. 

Mr.  Fairlin,  Bait.  Maryland,  .   do. 

Benjamin  Morgan,  b.  unknown,  do. 

Benjamin  Melvin,  b.  Nantucket,  Mass.  do. 
John  Molden,  b.  Bait.  Maryland,  do. 

'  Morrit,  New- York,  do. 

Edw.  Moufton,  Newburyport,  Mass.     do. 
Henry  Moore,  New- York,  do. 

John  Mackey^  Portsmouth,  N.  H.         do. 
John  Nicklas,  New- York,  Ni  Y.  do 

Owens,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Richal-d  Potter,  Wiscasset,  Mass,  Iir  pressed. 

Thomas  Paifkman,  unknown. 

Edward  Phillips,        do 

ElisLa  Paul,  Maryland. 

Simon  Roy,  Saybrook,  Connecticut. 

John  Ride,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Thomas  Roberson,  Plymouth,  Mass.  man  of  war. 

John  Rough,  Alo^andria,  Virginia. 

William  Riley,  I%iladelphia. 

Henry  Randolph,.  < -,  Massachusetts. 

Robert  Real,  New-York,  N.  Y. 

James  Roberts,  b.  Wilmington,  N.  C. 

Robert  Roberts,  b.  New- York. 

John  Ring,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Nathan  Robinson,  unknown. 

Morris  RusaflfU,  Savannah^  Georgia. 

William  Rich,  Warrington,  Conn. 

Isaac  Someniiycke,  New- York. 

George  Simsons,  b.  Philadelphia. 

David  Simond,  b.  Alexandria,  Virg.  impressed. 

John  Smith,  Norfolk,  do.  do 

James  Stanly,  |Jew-York. 

William  Symohs,  b.  Charleston,  S.  C. 

William  SteMi»art,  b.  unknown. 

John  Simon,  %%  do 

William  Strong,,  Marblehead,  Mass. 

Darid  Stephens.^  Long-Island,  N.  Y. 

Willi&m  Scofield,  Turkey-Hill,  Oldhadam,  Conn. 

John  Thompsoiqi,  Long  island,  N.  Y. 

Edward  Fitley,  New- York. 


/ 


142 


THE  PRISONER  S  MEMOIRS, 


John  Vanderhoven,  New- York 

William  Welch,  Charleston,  S.  C. 

Charles  Wetmore,  Norwich.  Con, 

John  B.  Williams,  Baltimore,  Md. 

John  Wells,  New- York. 

Charles  Wright,  Alexandria,  Vir. 

Charles  Wilford,  New- York. 

Charles  Williams,  unknown. 

William  Watson,  Charleston,  S,  C.  man  of  war. 

William  Walker,  Pelham,  N.  H. 

Jason  Wood,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

William  Wood,        do  do 

Ezekiel  Wilson,       do  do 

William  Wolf,  Savannah,  Georgia. 

Charles  Wilson,  Providence,  R.  I. 

fiohert  Wilson,  Newport,        do 


* 


The  following  is  a  correct  list  of  jrinoners  who  entered  hia  Majesty's 
service  at  tae  Depot  of  Staple* on^  from  Jvly  1813,  until  May  1814, 
iopiedfrom  the  clerk's  boms. 

.Tohn  Abrahams,  b.  Ne^v.York,  Grand  Napoleon. 

John  Brown,  Charleston,  S.  C  Revenge. 

John  Reinbrid^e,  Dutchman,  Tickler,  Boston. 

ChariAB  Burgom,  Charleston,  S.  C.  Revenge. 

Joseph  Fletcher,  Portland,  Mass.  Orders  in  Coundl. 

Henry  Henrick,  do  >.  .        . 

Eben.  Jacobs,  Newburyport,  impressed.  **. 

William  Howard,  Philadelphia,  Fox.  '''^ 

Stephen  Henry,  black  man. 

Robert  Hackley,  New- York,  unknown. 

Mark  Mason,  Philadelphia,  Fox. 

James  Marley,  Norfolk,  Virg.  impressed, 

George  Russell,  New- York,  Tom  of  Baltimore. 

John  Smith,  Paul  Jones. 

Francis  Surges,  black  man.  ' 

Thomas  Ta)rlor,  Maryland,  Price  of  Baltimore. 

Charles  White,  New-York,  Meteor. 

Th4  following  is  a  list  of  names  of  persons  who  died  at  Stapleton 

prison^  from  July  1813  until  June  1814. 
George  Morgan,  Long-Island,  N.  Y.  Grand  NapoleoDr 
David  Smart,  New- York,  Price,  of  Baltimore.  € 

John  Dunn,  Philadelphia,     do        do  '' 

D.  Francis,  Providence,  R.  1.  Hebe  of  Philadel. 
John  Mitchel,  New- York,  unknown.  ^_ 

Isaac  Watts,  Charleston,  S  C.  do  "^ 

Lambert  Johnson,  New-York,  do 


\\ 


OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


143 


Majesty's 
lay  1814, 


^tajleton 


The  fallowing  is  a  list  of  names  of  persons  who  died  at  Chatham^  on 
hoard  the  different  prison-ships,  from  January  1813  until  June 
1814 ;  at  which  time  a\l  the  prisoners  were  removed  to  the  depot  at 
Dartmoor. 


Feb.  28,  1814. 
Feb,  19,    do 
Jan.  4,  1813. 
Jan.  7,     do 
Dec.  5,  1814. 

Feb.  28,  1814. 
March  31,  do 
Dec.  1813. 


Jan. 
May 
June 
June 

Nov. 

April 
May 


9,  1813. 
3,    do 


5,    do 
11,  do 
23,  do 
4,  do 
16,  do 
26.  do 
March  4,  do 
April  27,  do 
July     5, 
April  18, 
•May  19, 
Jan.    27, 
Mar.  27, 
April  12, 1814 
May  18,  do  / 
June     6,  1812f 
June  25,  I8I4 
Dec.    27,  do^ 
14, 
17, 


Samuel  Abbet,  Andover,  Mass. 
William  Allen,  Newport,  R.  I. 
Joseph  Andrews,  Marblehead. 
Howel  Baysta,  Boston,  Mass. 
Moses  Blackman,  Boston,  do. 
James  Butler,  unknown. 
William  Butler,  Baltimore,  Md. 
John  Adams,  New- York. 
Ely  Bactman,  Wocester  county,  Mass. 
Thomas  Billings,  New- York. 
Christopher  Balbadge,  Salem,  Mass. 
Edward  Brown,  Marblehead,     do 
Nicholas  Bunker,  Scituate,        do 
Jesse  Brown,  Belfast,  Maine. 
Thomas  Carter,  Norfolk,  Vir. 
Thomas  Copland,  Charleston,  S.  C. 
Isaac  Clough,  Marblehead,  Mass. 

Christy,  Baltimore,  U.  S.  gun-boat. 


do 
do 
do 
do 
do 


Feb. 

April 

M!ay 

Mar. 

Feb. 

May 

Mar. 

Feb. 

Jan. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 


29, 

5, 
16, 
12, 
23, 

7, 
30, 
22, 
29, 


iJames  Davis,  Somerset. 

Jphn  H.  Downie,  Salem,  Mass. 

Jellies  Diverause,     do         do 

Benjamin  Elvell,  Gloucester,  Mass. 

William  Elingwood,  Marblehead,  Mass. 

William  Foller,  Marblehead,  Mass. 

Anthony  Fundy,  New-York. 

William  Forman,  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire. 

Amos  Graindy,  Marblehead,  Mass. 

James  B.  Green,  Alexandria,  Vir. 

Thomas  Hutchinson,  unknown. 

George  Hubbard,  do 

do        William  Hart,  do 

do   .  ■.  Jacob  Holt,  Salem,  Mass. 
do      .^Christopher  Hubbard,  Baltimore,  Md. 
do      *  Samuel  Head,  New-York, 
do      '  Samuel  Jones,  New- York,  Tyger. 
do  5    John  Johnson,  Long-Island,  N.  Y. 
do    ^  William  Light,        unknown, 
do      ,  Reuben  Ludlow,  New- York,  Tyger.  * 

do      )James  Lewis,  Norfolk,  Vir. 
do     ;^  James  Ludlow,  Greenfield,  Con. 
do      ,.5Ezekiel  Miller,  New- York. 
do      jfisamuel  Miller,  New-York.  • 


/^ 


^•--^„ 


144 


THE  prisoners'  MEMOIRS, 


April    1 ,  do        Fisher  Mansfield,  New-London,  Con. 

Aaron  Mackley,  drowned  escaping. 

Captain  Morgan,  Salem,  Mass.  Enteiprize. 

James  Mills,  Alexandria,  ViY. 

Samuel  Nelson,  New- York. 

Hugh  Nichols,  Newbern,  N.  C. 

William  Pousland.  Marblehead,  Masst 

Clement  Pair,  Portland,  Maine. 

Edward  Patten,  Baltimore. 

William  Potter,  Beverly,  Mass. 

David  Pink  ham,  Nantucket,  do. 

Jared  Ray,  New  York.  "t 

John  Roaply,  New  York. 

Charles  Saunders,  near  Alexandria,  Vir. 

Proctor  Simonds,  unknown. 

Ebenezer  Skinner,  Nantucket,  Massr 

Henry  Scott,  Baltimore. 

Jonathan  Sawyer,  Portland,  Maine. 
Nov.  25,  1813    Reuben  Moslaird,  Nantucket,  Mass.,  Tyger,  N.  Y 
Feb.   16,  do        Daniel  Roaps,  Salem,  Mass. 
May    9,  do        John  Rotter,  Md. 
Apr.  24,  1814    James  Smith,  Marblehead,  Mass. 

Growler,  Salem,  do 

May  28,  do 
Mar.    6,  do 
Apr.  14,  do 
do    29,  1813 
Mar.  4,  do 


Mar. 

16, 

do 

June 

10, 

do 

'Mar. 

29, 

1813 

Jan. 

6, 

1814 

T 

3, 

do 

20, 

do 

do 

21, 

do 

May 

24, 

do 

June 

6, 

do 

Jan. 

4, 

do 

Mar. 

25, 

do 

do 

19. 

do 

do 

24, 

do 

\u 


Aug.  16,  do 
Mar.  26,  do 


Jonathan  Trueman,  Portland,  Mai|ie. 
Edward  Williams,  Philadelphia./ 
James  Weeks,  Marblehead,  Mais. 
Samuel  Warren,  unknown. 
Richard  Wir.chester,  Gloucester,  !KfasB. 
Webber,  Kennebeck,  Maine. 


Francis  Williams,  Salem,  Mass. 

Stephen  Thatson,  Brookfield,  do. 

Thirty-nine  names  unknown  —chiefly  United  States  Infantry. 

I%e  following  contains  a  list  of  the  persons  who  diediat  Dartmoor 
from  April  1813,  until  the  18th  Fehruaryt  1815^  copUd  from  the 
reportsof  the  Doctor. 

Dec.    23,  1813    Henry  AUigo,  New  York,  U.  S.  brig  Argus. 
Ambrose  Alamond,  Carthagenia,  President. 
Johi]^  Adams,  Washington,  S.  C.  dreyhound. 
John  B.  Allen,  N.  Y.,  Herald. 
Isaac  Anderson,  Portsmouth,  N.  H„  Huzzar. 
Joshua  Andrews,  Ipswich,  Mass.,  David  Porter. 
John  Adams,  N.  C,  America. 
Alexander  Anderson,  N.  Y.,  Criterion.    V 
Jacob  Anderson,  Portsmouth,  N.  I^ 
Daniel  Archer,  Salem,  Mass.,  Gr|^d  Turk. 
Daniel  Appleton,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  U.  S.  Frolic. 


Oct. 

24, 

do 

Nov. 

6, 

do 

do 

21, 

do 

Dec. 

25, 

1814 

do 

23, 

do 

do 

'3, 

do 

do 

27, 

do 

Jan. 

7, 

do 

do 

26, 

do 

do 

4 

1815 

OR   DARTMOOR   PRISON. 


146 


,e. 


;er,  N.  Y. 


Dtry. 

)artmoor 
from  the 

18. 

t. 
id. 

ar. 
'orter. 


Frolic. 


Feb.     5,  1816    Robert  Adams,  Marblehead,  Mass.,  Herald, 
do    18,  do        Peter  Amos,  Martha's  Vineyard,  Mass.,  Inrinorble 
Napoleon. 

Asa  Allen,  Boston,  Herald. 
Nick  Blanchard. 
Hezekiah  Bray,  Boston,  India. 
John  Boatman,  Baltimore,  Chasseur. 
Lewis  Bryen,  Carolina,  Hawke. 
,  Peter  Berry,  died  suddenly. 
Peter  Barker,  Boston,  Derby. 
Peter  Bin,  Petersburg,  Va.,  Independence. 
Thomas  Barren,  Ya.,  United  States  brig  Argus. 
Henry  Burly,  New-York. 
John  Baldwin,  Boston,  Fox. 
James  Barret,  Pennsylvania,  Bury. 
Henrv  Burbage,  Ya.,  Greyhound. 
Charles  Barker. 

Benjamin  Bale,  Dover,  N.  H.,  Victory. 
Philip  Blagdell,  N.  H.,  Erie. 
\James  Beck,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  impressed. 
Jan.  17,  1815.     Daniel  Bourge,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Harlequin. 
Feb.  11,  do       iGeorge  Brown,  Westchester,  N.  Y.,  impressed. 
'"Charles  Brown,  Boston,  Paul  Jones 
OSes  Bailey,  Philadelphia,  Scorpion, 
ihn  Bablista,  New- York,  Herald. 
Jdhn  Bryson,  Va.,  Alicant. 
Janes  Booth,  New- York,  Mary. 
YJS.  Bates,  unknown. 
William  Clarke,  Va.,  Frolic. 
Oct'.  20,  1813    -^IVilliam  Clark,  South  Kingston,  R.  I.,  Star  of  N.  Y. 
Jan.  16,  do    . ."Charles  Cornish,  Baltimore,  Md.,  Chesapeake. 

«  James  Combs,  Bristol,  D.  Maine,  U.  S.  brig  Argus. 
f  John  Cole,  Wiscasset,  impressed. 

Benjamin  Cook,  Baltimore,  Md.,  Chesapeake. 
'     Deal  Carter,  New- York,  Zebra,  N.  Y. 
'     John  Collins,  Philadelphia,  Mammoth,  Baltimoi 
John  Carney  or  Carson,  Virginia,  Flash. 
^  .Simeon  Chandler,  Dnzbury,  Essex 
■Thomas  Cooper,  Washington,  N.  C,  Union, 
^^ames  Congdon,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Mary. 
John  Cole,  Baltimore,  Md  ,  Adeline. 
{  Richard  Coffee,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  America. 
^  Samuel  Campeach,  Carthagena,  President. 
::^imeon  Clark,  Weathersfieid,  Snapdragon. 
William  Coleman,  N.  C.  Hawke. 
William  Dilton.  Georgetown,  Argus, 
las  Durham,  Boston,  Mass.,  India. 

13 


Nov.  14,  do 
May  5,  1814' 
Nov.  20,1813. 
do  23.  do 
do  5,  1814. 
do  27,  do 
do  28,  do 
do  28,  do 
do  3,  1813. 
Dec.  2,  do  ,| 
do  5,   do 
do  8,  do  ', 
do  25,  18141 
Jan.  30,  do 
do  27.  do 
do  20,  do 
do  14,  do 


do  17,  do 
do  17,  do 
Nov.21,  1814 
Jan.  23,  do 
Dec.  29,  1814 
Nov.  18,  do 
July  4,  do 


Mar.  5,  do 
do.  20,  do 
April  6, 
Oct. 
do 

do  16,  do 

do  25,  do 

Nov.  8,,  do 

do  11,  do 

do  26,  do 

Dec.  4,  do 

Jan.  17,  do 

do  24,  do 

Nov.  5  ,  1814 

May  10,  do 

Nov.  14,  do 


do 
3,  do 
7,  do 


Mr;. 


''^itfiir' 


146 


THE  prisoners'  MEMOIRS, 


Nov.  18,   1814,  Amasa  DUano,  New-Bedford,  India. 


Jan.  10,  do 
Oct.  25,  1814. 
Jan.  26,  do 
do      6,  1815. 
Feb.  25, 1814. 
Jan.  27,  do 


Dec.  23,  1813 
Nov.  12,  do 
do  30,  do 
Jan,  23,  do 


William  Diinamond,  R.  I.,  brig  Mary.' 

David  Dunham,  unknown,  Fame,  Baltimore. 

William  Edgar,  N.  J.,  Hepsie. 

Edward  Evans,  Kennebunk,  brig  Star,  N.  Y. 

William  Ferza,  Granville,  Mermaid. 

James  Fulford,  N.  C.  iSnapdragon.  , 

Wm.  Fletcher,  Marblehead,MaBs.,'l|lpitfire,  Boston. 

Henry  Frelitch,  Liverpool,  Penn.  Liverpool. 

Jesse  Field".  Townsend,  Maine,  S'ron. 

Joshua  Fowler,  Boston,  impreoeed. 

William  Fennel,,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Harper. 

Thomas  Foquet,  Granville,  brig  Argus. 


Mar.  18,  1814. 

May  —  1813.    Reuben  Glass,  Duxbury,  Mar8,"of  Baltimore. 
April  19.  1814.    Thomas  Gasgillne,  Martinico,  W.  I.,  Augustine. 
Oct.  22,  do        William  Gibson,  N.  York,  Rattlesnake. 

Nov.   4,  do        Francis  Gardner, j  R.  I.,  Rambler. 

Dec.    3,  do        John  Gay  lor, ,  North  Carolina,  America. 

Feb.  17,  1815.    James  Gedman,  Partsmouth,  N.  H.,  Bunker  Hill. 
Jan.  29,  1815.    Richard  Hughs,  New* York,  Amiable,  Philadelphia. 

Simeon  Harress,  New- York,  Magdalen. 

James  Henry,  New- York,  U.  S.  br^  Argus. 


Mar.  5,  do 
July    3,  1814 

do     8,  do 
Nov.   9, 

do   11, 

do   24, 
Dec.  24, 

do     4, 
Jan. 
Feb. 


James  Hart, 


do 


Courier  jof  Baltimore. 


do 

do 

do 

do 

do 
6,  1815. 
5,   do 


Isaac  Hermain,  Portland,  Maine,  Eibridge  Geiry. 
James  Hetrope,  Cambridge,  Mass./Mar/. 
William  Harress,  Portsmouth,  N.H.,  Portsmouth. 
Dempey  Hydra, ,  North  ^rolina.  Pi  ul  Jones. 


Silas  Hardison, — ,  North  Carolina. 

Elijah  Hartford,  St.  Thomas,  U.  S.4nfantry. 
Jacob  Hanley,  Milford,  impressed.    . 
Dec.  29,  1814.     Alexander  Hender&on,  New-York,  Criterion. 


Nov.  4,  do 
April  30,  do 
June  25,  do 

do       6; 

Nov.  2, 

do  25, 
Jan.  24, 

do 
Feb. 


do 

do 

do 

do 
8,  1815. 
1,  do 


Nov. 

Feb. 

Nov. 

Aug. 

Jan. 

Jan. 


11,  1814. 
3,  1815. 
3,  1814. 
5,   do 
1,  do 
15,   do 


William  Jonea,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Hawke. 

George  Jones, ,  Coniiecticut.  Viper  of  Bait. 

Lambert  Johnson,  Middletown.  N.  J.j  Paul  Jones. 

Thomas  Jackson,  New-York,  impressed. 

Alexander  Johnson,  Charleston,  S.  C.,, William. 

Manuel  Joseph,  Oporto,  impretaed. 

Thomas  Jarvis,  Marblehoad,  Mass.^  Industry. 

John  Johannas,  Salem,  Mass.,  President. 

John  Johnson,  New  York,  born  in  Rhode  Island, 

Criterion. 

James  Ketrope,  Cambridge,  Mary. 

Uriah  King,  Scituate,  Mass.,  Domimck. 

Jesse  Lasol,  Martinico,  President.. 

John  Lewis,  R.  I.,  True-blooded  Yankee.    '^ 

James  Lestar,  unknown,  do  \      ; 

Charles  Lamson,  Bait.  Md.  Mars^alt. 


lore. 
I.Y. 


ire,  Boston, 
ool. 


per. 

nore. 
iguBtine. 

it, 

Lmerica. 
ker  Hill, 
kiladelphia. 

;u8.        f^' 
itimure. 
;e  Geiry. 

rtsmouth. 
Prul  Jones. 

ry. 

on. 
Ke. 


of  Bait. 
I  Jones. 


illiam. 

itry. 

9de  Island, 


/ 


OB  DARTMOOR  PRISON. 


147 


Pec.  12,   do 
Feb.     5,  1815. 
Feb.  14,  do 
Feb.  17,  do 


Sept.  30,  18  Ik    Lewis  Larkins,  Durham,  Mass.  Holla. 
Nov.   1,  do  1   Placid  Lorly,  Washington,  Hawke. 
Nov.  22,  do    /  Anthony  Lamb,  Conn.  Grand  Turk. 
Dec.  30,  do   f  Richard  Lee,  Mass  ,  brig  Argus. 
Jan.  27,  do     ^^^AmosLarkins,  Beverly,  Mass,,  impressed. 
Feb.  4,   1815.    ^Tames  Laskey,  Marblehe^d,  Mass.,  Eaterprise. 
Nov.  20, 1814.  ^ola,  Marshall,  Mass.,  Alexandria. 
Oct.     1,  1813.|  Thomas  Morrison,  Bait.  Md.,  Messenger. 
Jan.   14,  18144  Henry  Moore,  New  York,  Marmion,  N.  Y* 
Feb.  24,   do    %  John  Montgomery,  New  Bedford,  impressed. 
Sept.  22,  do     %  Manuel  Martin,  New  Orleans,  Paul  Jones,  N.  Y. 
Oct.    27,   do    i»  Calasso  Madosa,  Carthagcna,  President. 
Oct.  25,   do  J     Albert  Mingo,  New  Orleans,  Weezer. 
Nov.  18,  do  %  Rollen  M'Dcnovan,  Mass.,  Sire, 
do  18,  do    '    John  Macky,  Bait.  Md.,  Rattlesnake, 
do  20,  do  %   Richard  Miller,  Penn.,  Snap  Dragon. 
Jan.  30,  do       Joseph  Midge,  unknown. 

iBzekiel  Mitchell,  Portland,  D.  Maine,  Charlotte.    . 
jJesse  March,  Kennebunk,         do        M^Donough. 
^Wm.  Misten,  Bait.  Md.,  impressed, 
^ohn  Martin,  Carthagena,  President. 
|Sol  Marshall,  Deer  Island,  Mass.,  Mammoth, 
eter  Mitchell,  New  York,  Formidable, 
enj.  Newbern,  New  York,  U.  S.  brig  Argus. 
dw,d  Norton,  Plymouth,  Mass.,  U.  S.  ship  Argus. 
Daniel  Nash,  Maryland,  impressed. 
Joiiah  Pettengell,  Salem,  Mass.,  Enterprise. 
Ji^l  Perigo,  Boston,  Mass..  India. 
/Samuel  Pierce,  Greenwich,  R.  I.,  Dart,  of  N.  Y, 
^Samuel  Peterson,  Phil.,  Nonsuch. 
^1  Thomas  Parker,  Bait.  Md.,  Dominique. 
)  Wm.  Parker,  New  York,  Derby.  ■  I 

I  Charles  Parker,  unknown.  '    /%'       ,  C 

John  Perkins,  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  Siro, 
t   James  Palmer,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  Frolic. 

John  Pollard,  Pernambuco,  S.  A.  Ida. 
>  Aaron  Peterson,  Stonington,  Conn  ,  Joel  Barlow. 
John  Potter,  Phil.,  Penn.,  impressed. 

Jl^phraim  Piukham,  Wiscasset,  Maine,  Mammoth, 
[orace  Risley,  Long-Island,  N.  Y.,  :Star  of  N.  Y. 
enjamin  Rinevon,  Guadaloupe.  West  Indies,  Fox. 

12,  do     I  Luke  Rodge^s, ,  North  Cfarolina,  Fairy.  • 

14,  do      jDavid  Reea,  Townsend,  District  of  Maine,  America. 


Jan.  22,  1815. 
Nov.  15,  1813. 
Sept.  29,  1814. 
Feb.   24,  1815. 
Oct.      7,  1814. 
Nov.    4,  do 
March  12,  do 
Dec.    4,  dc 
Nov.   5,   do 
Nov.  26,   do 
Jan.  30,   do 
Nov.   3,   do 
Nov.  7,   do    S 

do  23,  do 
Jan.  14,  do 
Oct.  5,  do 
Sept.  25,  do 
May,  1813 
Nov.  16,  1814 

do 

do 

Dec.  29j  do 
Jan.    9,  do 

do    22,   do 
Feb.    7,   1815 


lames  Rooth,  Norwich,  Conn.,  Mary. 

$ila8  Hardison,  .  North  Carolina,  Hawke. 

irhomas  Ilix,  Suflfolk,  Vir  ,  Labrador. 

cis  Roberts,  St.  Sebastian,  Spain,  Chesapeake. 


148 


THB  FEXSONERS'   KEMCUBS, 


Feb.  14,  1815 

do  15,  do 

Dec.    9,  1814 

Jau.  16,  do 

Oct.   17,  do 
do    20,  do 
do    25,  do 
Nov.   3,  do 
do    20,  do 
do  21,   do 
Dec.     7,  do 
do      8,   do 
do    15,   do 
Jan.  24.   do 
do    14,   do 
do      5,   1815 
do    20,   do 
March  15, 1814 
Dec.      5,   do 
Jan.     28,  1815 

do      12,   do 
Feb.      7,  do 
March  9,  1814 
Feb.    25,  do 
March  18,  do 
July  23,   do 
Sept.  26,  do 
Oct.   25,  do 
Nov.   3,  do 
do    24,  do 
Dec.    2,  do 
Jan.   27,   do 

Feb.  12,  1815 

Jan.     8,  do 
Jan.   19,  do 
Aug.  31,  1814 
Mar.  20,  do 

Oct.   27,  do 

Dec.    5,  do 

Jan.   14,  do 

do     17,  do 

Jan.  28,  1815 

do     8,  do 


^ . f 

John  Risdon,  Baltimore,  Pike.  df: 

Samuel  Robenson,  Boston,  Ducanavm. 

Samuel  Robenson,  Fkil.,  Nonsuch.'- 

William  Saunders,  Kennebunk,   Mjliune,  Mars  of 

Baltimore. 

William  Shans,  U.  S.  brig  Argus.^ 

Francis  Saul,  Wiscasset,  Maine,  Xercnty. 

Jacob  Sawyer,  Providence,  R.  [ ,  ii^ressed. 

Richard  Sperdy, ,  Virginia,  Xmelitu 

Isaac  Simerson,  New  York,  Invino^Ie. 

Lewis  Stow,  Middletown,  Conn.  Tjjlikler. 

Jacob  C.  Secusa,  New  York,  Yoluiileer. 

Nicholas  Smith,  Richmond,  Virginia*  Herald. 

John  Stiles,  Baltimore,  Md.,  mllia^  Bayard. 

Heiirv  Schelding,  unknown.  ^ 

Smith  Schelding,  New  York,  Fort  iprie. 

John  Stow,  Harlequin. 

John  Straul,  Portland,  Maine,  Silo. 

William  Sternis,  Norwich^  Conn.IYiper  of  Bait. 

William  Smart, ,  yirginia,lbrothland. 

Daniel  Simons,  Marblehead,  Ma4(f.,  Enterprise. 
£beRezer  Simons,  unknown.       ' 
John  Seapach,  Portland,  Maine,  ».licant. 
Eleazer  Tobie,  New  York,  True-ulooded  Yankee. 
William  Tyre,  Springfield,  ViperjM  Baltimore. 
Thomas  Tagatt,  Granville,  Ara^s. 

Abraham  Thomas,  ,  Ccfin.  P.  Jones* 

Matthew  Tineman,  New  YorktitTom  Thumb. 
John  Thomaa,  New  York,  Elbridie  Gerry. 
Abraham  Tompkins,  New  York,iDoveinor  Shelby 
Francis  Tttttle,  Pernell,  Maine,  Leii, 
John  B.  Taylor,  New  York,  Fair  American. 
James  Fulford, ,  North  Carolina,  Snap-Dra- 
gon. 

Samuel  Tophown,  Montgomery,  soldier  of  the  U. 
S.  A. 

James  Vassa,  unknown.  Growler.  lase- 

Daniel  Very,  Salem,  Mass.,  Froliit. 
Nathaniel  Vaughrs,  Newport,  R.J.,  Ducanavta- 

Thomas  Williams, ,  Coniigcticut,  Viper  of 

Baltimore. 

William  Williams,  Georgetown,  Miria,  Theresa. 

William  Wescott, ,  Virgini^  Gothland. 

James  WUliams,  Weathersfield,  ^nn.,  Caroline. 
Seth  Williams,  Portsmouth,  N.  !|.,  Harlequin. 

George  Overt, ,  N.  H.,  impressed. 

Joseph  Wedger,  Marblehead,  Mpss.,  Growler. 


OB  BARTlRZOOB  PBUON. 


149 


fr,  Mars  of 


ssed* 
lift. 


erald. 
tayard. 


r  of  Bait. 

land. 

terpriscts 

It 

i  Yankee, 
imore. 

nes* 

humb. 

rry. 

rnor  Shelby 

can. 
Snap-Dra- 

of  the  U. 


anav^a. 
Viper  of 

Theresa, 
iland. 
/aroline. 
equin. 

iwler. 


Feb.    1,    ^5    Joseph  Wi'iliams,  Gay-Kss'l,  Enterprise. 
Jan.  24,   1^4    Thomas  Zervice,  Marblehead,  JVlass.,  Industry, 
do    21,    d(|       William  Young,  North  Carolina,  Levant. 

1  — 

J%efoUotnn^$  a  Hit  (^persons  who  escaped  from  Dartmoor  prison 
from  Sept^er,  1814,  the  first  esu^ey  untilJiSarch  13,  18\5. 

Sept  20,  1814    Shapley  Smith,  Baltimore,  Leo.  '    ' 

do    20,    d(i_  Henry  Cottrill,  Narraganset,  R.  I.,  unknown; 


Oct 

Nov 

Dee 
do 


18l|f    Capt'.  Swain,  New  Bedford,  Malss. 
1814   Gaecoigne,  unknown. 
d|J^    Henry  Allen,  Salem,  Mass.,  Polly. 
I       John  Windham,  unknown. 

1^4    Russell,  New  Bclford;  Mass. 

Howard,  unknown. 


•  -  *5^.;if 


Benjamin  Prince,  Portland,  Maine^  Magdalen. 
Jan         1815^^  Rodgers,  New  York,  True-blooded  Yankee, 
do  do  %#CaleD  Holmes,  do.,      unknown. 

Feb  do  }  Joseph  Lan^ford,  Baltimore,  True>blooded  Yankee. 

Feb  6,      do  i  George  Denison,  Portland,  Maine,  Sire  of  Bait. 

12,      do    'h  John  W.  Fletcher,  Alexandria,  Vir.,  Rattlesnake.  ■ 
March  12  do  f  David  Flood,  Portland,  M»ine,  Impressed. 

do        do  I  Isaiah  Bunker,  Philadelphia,  True-blooded  Yankee. 

do  18  do  'William  Webster,  unknown. 

Escaped  front  the  last  date  until  April,  six  men,  names  unknown. 

The  following  isja  correct  list  of  names  of  prisoners  who  died  at  Dart- 
moor  prison,  ^om  February  18,  1815,  until  Aprti  20,  1815. 

Mar.  4,  181|^ .  Archibald  Allen, ,  New  Jersey,  impresped. 

do  15,    do^     William  Adams, ,  Connecticut,  impressed. 

i|      Capt.  Allen,  of  the  United     tales  brig  Argus,  of 
wounds. 
John  Butler, ,  Delaware,  Semiramus. 


22,   to 

r.  13,   do 


Feb 
Mar. 
do  29,  40 
do  22t;do 
April  5,  ^o 
March  11,  ^ 
Feb  25,   18^ 


Peter  Burch,  Philadelphia,  Prosperity . 

Wm.  Brady,  Baltimore,  Flash,  N.  Y. 

Henry  Campbell,  Philadelphia,  Penn  ,  Columbia. 

James  Campbell,  New  York,  impressed.    [Yankee 

Jonathan  Dyer,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  True-blood<  1 

Jon.  Davis,  Middle-river,  Mass,,  ship  Yorkto^^    , 


Mar.  30,  doj     Benjamin  Delano,  Ducksbury 


John  Devinas, 
William  Evin,  - 


Ohio. 

Rhode  Island,  brig  Star. 
Massachusetts,  Horatio. 


Archibald  Fogerty,  - 

John  Francis,  Norfolk,  Vir.  impressed. 

Jeremiah  Qardner,  Newort,  R.  I.  impressed. 

Josiah  Qun,  Salem,  Mass. 

Thomas  Qroves,  Boston,  Mass.  Port  Malion. 


160 


THE   PRISONIRS'   MEMOIRS, 


Mar.  14,  1815. 
Feb.  24,  do 
Mar.  10,  do 
I.  14,  do 
Mai.  20,  do 
Apr,  6,  do 
Apr.  6,  do 
Apr.  18,  do 
Feb.  22,  do 
Feb.  23,  do 
Feb.  26,  do 
Feb.  24,  do 
Mar.  ^.0,  do 
Mar.  14,  do 
Apr.  6,  do 
Apr.  9,  do 
Feb.  26,  do 


Apr. 

Apr 

Mar. 

Feb. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Jan. 

Apr. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

Apr. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Feb. 


16, 

do 

6, 

do 

10, 

do 

21, 

do 

21, 

do 

26, 

do 

24, 

do 

27, 

do 

30, 

do 

2, 

do 

6, 

do 

10, 

do 

15, 

do 

22, 

do 

1, 

do 

23, 

do 

2, 

do 

2, 

do 

1. 

do 

18, 

do 

20, 

do 

17, 

do 

22, 

do 

4, 

do 

6, 

do 

14; 

do 

16, 

do 

16, 

do 

21. 

do 

Jonathan  Gladding,  Bristol,  R.  I.  Rati^snake. 
Francis  Hobden,  Gloucester,  Vir.       | 
Abijah  Holbrook,  Weymouth,  Derbyj| 
John  Hobson,  Bedford,  N.  C.  Snapdi^on. 
Joseph  Haycock,  Portland,  Maine,    j- 
Henry  Holden,  Boston,  Sultan.       J 
John  Hajrwood,  ,  Vir.  impre4e«5.' 

Thomas  Hall,  ,  Surprise.       i 

John  Jennings,  Gay  Head,  M.  V.  H^ke. 
James  Jones, ,  Md.  impressed' 


Peter  Joseph,  West  Indies,  Presiden 
Edw.  Jenkins,  Cambridge,  Mass.  T 
Wm.  Johnson,  Salem.  Mas.  impressei 
John  Jackson,  Baltimore.  do 

Thomas  Jackson,  New- York,  Orbit. 
Joseph  Johnson, ,  Connecticut,, 


of  Bait. 


aul  Jones. 


James  Knapps,  Baltimore,  impressed^ 
John  Kelly,  Marblehead,  Mass.  Al%d. 
Jacob  Kemble,  Jenet.  t 

William  Leverett,  Til  ew- York,  Saratfga. 

Capt.  Lepiate, ,  N.  Y.  Paul«|lones.  ■, 

Edward  Miller,  Newark,  N.  J.  Man|moth. 
Charles  Moutle,  Stonington,  Con.  iiipressed. 
James  Morris,  Baltimore,  President. . 
William  Mills,  city  of  Jersey,  N.  J^  Zebra. 
Benjamin  Marshall,  — — ,  MassacJbusetts,  Mindor. 
George  Moore,  Boston,  Mass.  Classeur. 
John  Monroe,  Albany,  N.  Y.  RalUesnake* 
Jabez  Mann,  Boston,  Siro.  \ 

Jonathan  Paul,  Charleston,  S.  C.  in»; 
Thomas  P"  .Laam,  Windham,  Conn.y'aul  Jones. 
Gideon  Porter,  — — — ,  Rhode  Island^impressed. 
Samuel  Parish,  Norfolk,  Vir.  Gran:^  Ifapoleon. 
Joseph  Q,uion,  Salem,  Mass.  Herald. 
Joseph  Rasom,  Wiscasset,  Maine,  Nedfof  Bait. 


Joseph  Robenson,     do 


do 


do. 


James  Robenson, ,  Mass.  Price  ol^altimore. 

William  Robenson,  ^■ 

Jeremiah  Stan  wood,  Newbury  port,  IVIass.imp. 
Silas  Squibs,  New-London,  Conn.  Hope-packet. 
Martin  Sutten,  New  Bedford,  Mass.  Ulon. 
David  Shute,  Salem,  Mass.  impressed^ 
Andrew  Smith,  Indian  River,  Tom.  f 

Joseph  Salesbury, ,  Mass.  Zetiith. 

Theodore  Snell,  '  Rhode  Islaiid,  a  soldier. 

Stephen  Stacy,  Marblehead,  Mass.  Oiiio. 
Henry  Thomas,  Cambridge,  Maf>s.  Derby. 


V 


OR   D/RTMOOE  PRISON. 


161 


April  14,  ISIS  Richard  Smith,  Grand  Turk. 

Feb.  21,  d4  David  Turner,  Boston,  Derby. 

April   6,  d<r  John  Turner,  ,  Mass.  Rattlesnake. 

April  18,  dot  William  Thompson,  Siro. 

Feb.  25,  do^  Darius  Villius,  Providence,  R.  I.  Frolic. 

Mar.  10,  do  ']  Charles  Williams,  New-London,  Connecticut. 

Mar.  17,  do   \  Samuel  Williams,  ,  Mass,  Scorpion. 

Mar.  26,  do  .  Edward  Williams, ,  Va.  impressed. 

April  6,  do  ^  John  Washington,  Cooperstown,  Md.  Rolla. 

J  Died  at  Ashberton  during  the  war, 

Mar.  10,  181^     B.  Elvel,  Gloucester,  Mass.  Firefly. 
Mar.  25,  dA       Abraham  Burnham,  — ,  Mass.  Price. 


# 


ler. 


SUPPLEMEP^  OF  SOME  MATTERS  OBTAINED  SINCE  THE 
PRfiCEDlNG  PAGES  WERE  WRITTEN. 


] 


Copy  of  a  letter  from   Lieut.  N.  D.  Nicholson,  of  the  late 
♦  United  Stattes  brig  Syren^  to  Capt.  Samuel  Evans,  com- 
manding  jiaval  officer  at  New- York. 


•\f 


Sir 


New- York,  August  24,  1815. 


ConceivKjg  it  my  duty  to  make  known  the  treatment  ex- 
jy  t^p  Britis 


hibiteJ  by 
unfortunate  ai^ 


ritish  officers  and  men,  to  those  who  are  so 
to  fallinto  their  power,  I  am  induced  to  ac- 
quaint you  wjth  the  following  circumstances: 

After  the^surrender  of  the  Syren  to  the  Medway,  the  officers 
and  crew  of  the  former  were  removed  to  the  latter  ;  the  crew 
not  being  altpvved  the  privilege  of  taking  their  clothing,  &c., 
with  them, — So  that  the  prize-crew  had  a  fair  opportunity  of 
plundering  such  articles  as  thsy  thought  proper ;  which  op- 
portuflity  thev  took  care  to  profit  by,  as  many  of  our  men 


i9it 


THE  ntnoHBM'  imiifoiRs,  kc. 


r' 


were  pillaged  of  all  they  possessed,  exeeptm^  wiraiihoy  had 
on  at  the  time ;  and  the  officers  in  like  manner  jvAra  plun- 
dered on  board  the  Medtoay.    The.roidshipmen,  seme  of  tnemt 


dDc.  For 

yclothiaf, 
h  the  lossDs 


were  completely  stripprd ;  others  lost  their  watc 
my  own  part,  I  came  off  with  the  loss  of  about  ha) 
and  thought  myself  well  off  when  compared  w^ 
of  my  shipmates. 

The  morning  after  our  capture,  we  were  musipred  on  the 
quarter-deck,  to  undergo  a  search ;  the  men  wea^then.  strip- 
ped to  the  skin,  and  their  clothinff  not  returned ;  Jo  that  many 
of  them  were  left  without  any  thing  more  then^  shirt  and 
trowseis.  The  next  day,  Mr.  Barton  (the  first  iVutennnt  of 
the  Medway)  distributed  the  clothing  he  had  tak»  from  our 
men,  to  his  quarter-masters  and  quarter-gunners,Jln  my  pre- 
sence. J 

After  being  on  board  the  Medway  five  w^s,  we  wore 
landed  at  Simon-Town,  twenty-five  miles  to  tlte  eastward  of 
the  Cape  of  Gk>od  Hope ;  myself  and  brother  oncers  paroled, 
and  the  men  marched  to  Cape-Town  under  an  ^ort  of  drat 
goons;  being  obliged  to  ford  a  lake  on  the  marlh,  where  the 
boys  were  compelled  to  go  over  on  the  backs  ofwe  taU  men ; 
this  march  of  twenty-five  miles  was  performaS  in  one  day, 
and  without  shoes  or  food ;  the  latter  article  ^ey  were  kept 
without  four  and  twenty  hours ;  their  shoes^ere  stolen  by 
the  crew  of  the  Medway  while  they  were  asleep.  After  re- 
maining in  this  situation  nearly  eight  months,  vipthout  bed  or 
bedding,  (they  were  not  even  furnished  with  stmw,  and  their 
hammocks  were  taken  on  a  plea  of  their  bein^ public  pro- 

Serty,)  we  were  all*  embarked  in  different  men-o^war  and  In- 
iamen  for  England ;  myself,  and  about  sixty  ofiUcets  and  men, 
in  the  Cumberland,  seventy-four,  Captain  Baker,  >^ere  all  put 
on  the  lower  gun-deck  without  distinction,  among  their  own 
crew,  and  fed  on  prisoners'  allowance ;  and  on  my^emonstrat- 
ing  with  the  captain  for  receiving  such  treatmefft,  he  ordered 
me  off  the  quaiter-deck,  with  a  threat,  at  the  lame  thne,  to 
put  me  in  irons.  V, 

We  remained  in  this  situation  eighteen  days,^fter  which 
Lieut.  German,  Gordon,  and  myself,  were  removed  to  the 
Grampus,  thirty,  at  St.  Helena,  admitted  to  tin  ward-room 
mess,  and  treated  with  civility.  ^ 

With  respect,  I  have  the  honor,  dec,      f 

N.  D.  NI^OIiSON. 
Capt.  Samubl  Evans. 


^\ 


thfly  had 
re  pl))n- 

S6C.  For 

:lothuif, 

^  loSMMI 


1  on  tlie 
>n,  Atrip- 
at  many 
birt  and 
eMQt  pf 
rom  our 
my  pre- 

re  vrer^ 
tward  of 
paroled, 
of  drar 
lere  tlie 
U  men ; 
DO  day, 
(re  kept 
)lea  by 
fter  re- 
\  M  or 
id  tiheir 
ic  jpro- 
and  lo- 
ad men, 
all  put 
)ir  own 
onstrat- 
ordered 
jme,  to 

which 
to  the 
d*room 


DN. 


